The story of New Zealand painter Rita Angus has been brought to life in a new documentary by filmmaker Gaylene Preston (Perfect Strangers).

As well as interviews with friends and family of the artist, Lovely Rita includes fresh intelligence about her life from biographer Jill Trevelyan. The film screens on 17 November in Wellington as part of the DOCNZ 2007 Documentary Film Festival.A pioneer of modern painting who produced such iconic landscapes as Cass - an image of an isolated railway station in the Southern Alps - Angus also painted a series of portraits and self-portraits. She lived and worked at a time in New Zealand when to be a full-time artist was not only unusual, it was hardly considered to be a serious occupation.

Her paintings were undervalued during her lifetime but appreciated by a small, informed group of supporters including the composer Douglas Lilburn, with whom she maintained a lifelong close friendship.

More than 300 letters from Rita to Douglas were in his possession when he died recently and these form a moving and sometimes startling personal commentary from the artist herself which illuminates a lifetime of painting.

In Lovely Rita, actor Loren Horsley reads Rita's letters to Douglas and evokes young Rita on screen while Donogh Rees reads Rita's Thorndon letters, as her glorious paintings articulate this sensitive portrait of one woman's struggle to illuminate her world.

In an age when to us women born into greater freedom having a family and a creative career is not unusual, it is salutary to be reminded how hard this position we now take for granted was fought for.

Rita Angus uncompromisingly stood alone among her generation. Surrounded by secrecy even after her death in 1970, her story has at last been told.

"Gaylene Preston's documentary on artist Rita Angus hits all the right notes: informative, visually compelling, humorous and touching. Angus's life and work is discussed and dissected by some great onscreen talent including Sam Neill, artist Jaqueline Fahey and Marti Friedlander. A lively and loving look at one of our cultural icons."
- Angela Walker, Sunday Star-Times

DOCNZ Screening
When: Saturday 17 November, 6pm
Where: Regent on Manners, Wellington

15/11/07