Lady O'Loughlin

A documentary about a recovering alcoholic and addict – especially one whose story we're already broadly familiar with – doesn't sound like a great night's entertainment. But this compact and moving film made by Fiona O'Loughlin's mate, Sam Petersen, is not just thoughtful, it's also often very funny. Petersen follows O'Loughlin from the time she leaves rehab in 2016 (she spent seven days in a coma following an epic binge) to her return to the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2018 – including a relapse that put her back in hospital again. As you might expect, many gags are cracked. Truths are told. But this is also an exploration of the way the live-comedy scene is a natural home to excess, and the dangers of the misguided but entrenched association between creativity, and drugs and alcohol. Source: The Age newspaper (https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/twisting-british-thriller-is-the-stuff-of-any-parent-s-nightmares-and-it-s-really-really-good-20200504-p54po9.html)

Directed by Sam Petersen, Lady O'Loughlin leans on a strong ensemble — Fiona O’Loughlin, Denise Scott, Meshel Laurie — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2020.