The Ball - a film by Jess Leski
29th November, 2010
The Ball! A very special film made by local film director Jess Leski - screening tonight on the ABC!
The Ball features four beautiful Melbourne kids - From top left, Renato, Natasha, Anthony and Lauren.
OK this post has nothing to do with design. But, at the risk of sounding like OPRAH, I must take this final opportunity to plug a truly wonderful film directed by my bestest friend in the whole world, Jessica Leski.
Ms Leski is a a graduate of the VCA School of Film and Television, and a very talented Melbourne film maker. This is the first of her projects to be screened on TV! The Ball follows a group of beautiful kids who attend The Ashwood School - a school for students with special needs in suburban Melbourne. Leski followed these teenagers and their families in the lead up to their school debutante ball - giving a unique, heart-warming (and at times hilarious!) insight into the challenges and triumphs of these kids and their families.
The Ball is a truly beautiful local film - I guarantee it'll make you both laugh and cry! Please support this very special creative project by tuning in to the ABC tonight at 9.30pm!
The Ball
Directed by Jess Leski
Director of Photography - Adam Arkapaw
Produced by Princess Pictures and Screen Australia
Screening Tonight, 9.30pm on ABC
(You can also watch the trailer on YouTube!)
Below are some pics of me helping Leski out with a photoshoot for the DVD and other promo material... I actually only helped out for one day but hey, credit where credit's due. :)
Lucy (that's me!) helping Leski with The Ball promotional photo shoot.
TOTAL ACENESS! Looking forward to seeing this film. The promo shots looks fabulous and the kids all look freaking gorgeous. I wish more young chicks wore lovely dresses like these to their Debs.
It looks great, thanks for the tip I will be switching on at 9.30 . The photo shoot is really beautiful too!
Yay- GO JESS LESKI, Lucy Feagins bestie!! Can’t wait to watch the whole thing, the trailer made me cry with how lovely the kids are :)
This looks gorgeous! I will definitely be tuning in. The Ashwood School is right around the corner from my house and i caught the morning bus with the Ashwood kids my whole high school life, so this feels a little bit close to my heart too. How lovely Jess! x
I have been watching it then just checked my email to find this post! very much enjoying it so far! it’s extremely lovely.
oh!!!! RAD work x
Thankyou! Thankyou! Thankyou!
What a beautiful film… The debutantes looked so gorgeous and handsome! The film brought more than a tear to my eyes ;) Lauren in her mums wedding dress, the boys looking so dapper, their smiles all so contagious!! Thanks for the tip. xoxo
laughed and cried, one of my girlfriends son is starting at Ashwood next year, and she has worked so hard with him to get him in there, a truly fantastic documentary.
ahhh..this looks briliant! Any chance of it showing in the US or available online?
Great doco, gorgeous community
Oh, I watched this too, was wonderful, and the photos look great.
Just wanted to congratulate Jess on a truly entertaining doco. Thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it … I laughed and cried and laughed some more …. !
“Your breasts are too big…..” Loved it!!! x
I loved it!
It gave me the warm, happy, fuzzy feeling & I am still thinking about it today.
Great families and kids. x
What a fabulous documentary! Like everyone else on this blog, I was really touched by it. Congratulations Jess!
This was brilliant, thank you x
Such a wonderful documentary. It was so inspiring and moving and heartwarming. The students and their families were just amazing. Loved it!!
Best thing I watched all year. Totally uplifting and inspirational. Yay for Melbourne made, yay for Lucy’s clever friend Jess. xo
as a nan with a grandson with disabilities, and an artist who taught kids and adults with special needs, this film is a gift!! At the ‘special’ kinder my grandson attends it was the talk of the morning yesterday, it gave a group of new mums hope that their kids can be part of ‘normal stuff’ huge congrats to Jess and all involved
just watch this amazing documentary online at the abc. it really makes you appreciate the simple things in life. Had a good cry and a big laugh!
Watched this the other night – a few tears were shed at our place
What a great doco :)
So I phoned my parents in Australia to record a copy, alas there was a blackout in my hometown when it screened.
Lucy, are you able to do some detective work for those of us who don’t live in Australia/missed out?
Fingers crossed!
Hi everyone,
Thank you so much for your kind words.
We had an amazing night on Monday watching the film with the kids and their families.
It was such an honour to be able to share their stories.
Thanks also to Lucy for this post and for her wonderful work on the photoshoot.
The kids loved getting glammed up again and I now have a lifetime supply of pastel coloured balloons in my possession!
x
Jess
It was a truly beautiful film, just caught it on iview. Well done Jess. There should be more filmmaking like it. Forget Hollywood blockbusters Australia, this is what we do best. It may not be design Lucy, but it is definitely well crafted.
Thanks,
Ben