The producers of the long-awaited triple screen, live music coal seam gas epic ‘Confusing Them With Our Joy’ have shared their disappointment at having to postpone screenings again after the flood disaster which has engulfed the Northern Rivers.
2022 is the tenth anniversary of the beginnings of the gasfield-free movement which led to triumph at Bentley, and the film-makers and musicians were planning to go back to where it all began at The Channon Hall for an invite-only sneak preview on Saturday 5 March.
All was in readiness for a full scale gala launch at the Lismore Workers Club auditorium on 19 March, followed by shows at the Mullumbimby Civic Hall and Bentley for starters.
With flood damage in the Workers Club auditorium extending all the way to the mezzanine level (including the main auditorium) the Club has been closed indefinitely. The Mullumbimby Civic Hall went underwater during the emergency and is now being used as an evacuation recovery centre.
While The Channon Hall avoided the fate of Corndale Hall (which was washed away), it is now also being used an an emergency community hub for those affected by the floods, which have impacted all communities across the region.
Director/co-producer David Lowe, from Cloudcatcher Media, said, ‘It’s very sad to have to postpone for the second time, after COVID (we were originally planning to premiere ‘Confusing Them With Our Joy’ late in 2021), but we feel we have no choice after this tragic disaster which has touched so many people.
‘Apart from the loss of venues, some of our equipment has been damaged by water and landslides, and it will take time to get back to where we were. It also seems inappropriate to be launching a show with ‘joy’ in the title while the disaster is still ongoing, and friends have lost everything, including many supporters of this project and numerous local heroes who appear in the film.
‘That said, our central message of community resilience and defiant creativity in the face of climate crisis and fossil fuel-related destruction is more relevant than ever, and we hope to bring our touring show to the Northern Rivers later this year, perhaps in five or six months. We welcome input from supporters and others about suggested timing and venues.’
The producers can be contacted via [email protected].
What next?
Cloudcatcher Media says the Chuffed fundraiser for the show is still open, and all purchased tickets for dates other than Lismore will be honoured at dates to be announced later this year.
Anyone who would prefer a refund for non-Lismore shows is asked to contact the producers.
Ticketing for the Lismore show was being handled by the Workers Club, who have assured ticket-holders for ‘Confusing Them With Our Joy’ and all other forthcoming shows that they will be fully refunded.
David Lowe said, ‘After ten years work on this project, it will definitely see the light of day at some stage, hopefully later this year. Until then our thoughts are with everyone who has suffered from this awful flood catastrophe. Hopefully the united community spirit which saw the region defeat invasive gasfields will also rise and triumph now.’
The ‘Confusing Them With Our Joy’ trailer is below:
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