WRITER / DIRECTOR / CINEMATOGRAPHER
All The Way Through Evening has recently been added to ACMI’s online streaming platform ACMI Cinema 3. It joins Winter at Westbeth which was added to the service in October, appearing as part of the Seniors Film Festival. ACMI Cinema 3 is an online streaming platform that allows users to rent new releases, classics, and revivals of ACMI’s past programs on demand.
Winter at Westbeth was awarded a Silver Telly award for Television (Cultural) after its broadcast as an episode of America ReFramed on the WORLD network. America ReFramed was also awarded a Gold Telly Award for Best Documentary (Series). A full list of winners is available on the Telly Awards website. Winter at Westbeth will have an encore US broadcast as part of America ReFramed‘s Pride month programming on June 23rd at 8/7pm central time.
WINTER AT WESTBETH will be broadcast nationally across America as part of the Emmy award winning prime time documentary program America ReFramed.
The film will make its U.S. television premiere and streaming debut on Tuesday, December, 11, 2018 at 8 p.m. (7pm CT / 9pm PST, over a multicast seven-day window) on WORLD Channel as part of the sixth season of America ReFramed. It will also be available on all station-branded PBS apps for iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast.
Rohan’s acclaimed 2012 film ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING has been programmed at ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) as part of their summer matinee series.
Visit the ACMI website for trailer, tickets and session times.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING is the life affirming story of concert pianist Mimi Stern-Wolfe who performs an annual concert of music composed by her talented friends, all lost to HIV/AIDS in New York City.
The film will commence screening at ACMI on Nov 24th and Rohan participate in an audience Q&A after the 7PM session on Dec 1st (World AIDS Day).
WINTER AT WESTBETH will be released on April 27th at cinemas around New Zealand, distributed by Vendetta Films.
Confirmed locations (with more to come):
AKL | Academy Cinemas, Bridgeway Cinema, Rialto Cinemas, Monterey Cinemas
WEL | Penthouse Cinema and Cafe, Wellington, Shoreline CinemaWaikanae
CHCH | Academy Gold Cinema
DUN | Rialto Cinemas Dunedin
REG | Dome Bar and Cinema, Focal Point Cinema Coffee and Wine Bar, GECKO THEATRE, The Wall and Basement Cinema Rotorua
Winter at Westbeth is to have its Australian television premiere this Sunday 12th March at 10PM on the national broadcaster ABC.
Stephen Pizzello, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of American Cinematographer, has once again served as the jury for the American Cinematographer Award for Cinematography at Salem Film Fest. Winter at Westbeth was nominated for this accolade, with Pizzello remarking:
“[The film] …offers a moving, life-affirming visit with the elderly residents of an artists’ community in New York’s West Village. Spong’s observant eye and cinematic aesthetics lend the images a poetic realism; his unconventional style of coverage and creative compositions capture the subjects’ vibrant personalities and effectively convey the inner spark that drives their artistic ambitions.”
The winner of the award was God Knows Where I Am (dir. J & T Wider). A full list of nominees is available on the Salem Film Fest website and will also be published in the forthcoming issue of American Cinematographer.
Winter at Westbeth will be screening as part of the European documentary film festival ZAGREB DOX in Croatia on February 28th. For more information visit: http://zagrebdox.net
Winter at Westbeth will also screen as part of the Salem Film Festival on Sunday March 5th at the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem, Massachusetts. Mimi Stern-Wolfe and Ilsa Gilbert will be in attendance at this screening.
Winter at Westbeth is also headed to coastal NSW as part of Mid North Coast Creative Aging Festival on March 9th! It screens at the Jetty Theatre Coffs Harbour and as part of The Big Chat about Creative Ageing at Glasshouse Arts Centre, Port Macquarie.
See : http://artsmidnorthcoast.com/showcase/winter-at-westbeth/
Also on March 9th, the film will be screened as part of Hawaiian Film Festival’s monthly screenings at Ward Village Courtyard outdoor cinema, Honolulu. Details for that screening are at Event Brite.
WINTER AT WESTBETH opens Feb 7th at cinemas around Australia for a strictly limited season!
FROM FEB 7 – VIC Cinema Nova Book tickets to Feb 7 session HERE.
FROM FEB 8 – NSW Event Cinemas Bondi Junction, Castle Hill, Cronulla | SA Event Cinemas Marion | QLD Event Cinemas Maroochydore, Robina, Chermside, Loganholme | WA Event Cinemas Innalo0 Book tickets for Feb 8 and 12 sessions HERE.
Rohan Spong, Ilsa Gilbert, Mimi Stern-Wolfe and still photographer Duncan Hewitt travelled to Washington D.C. to introduce a screening of Winter at Westbeth at the Library of Congress. The film screened to a near full house at the Mary Pickford Theater and was followed by an audience Q&A with Ilsa and Rohan.
The event was hosted by LC Globe and SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders).
This is the second of Rohan’s films that has been invited to screen at the Library of Congress. All The Way Through Evening had previously screened at this venue in 2014.
Whilst at the nation’s capital, Rohan gave a wide ranging interview with Josephine Reed at the National Endowment of the Arts. The Art Works podcast is available on the National Endowment for the Arts website here or can be listened to below.
WINTER AT WESTBETH has received a SPECIAL JURY MENTION from DOC NYC after the film’s international premiere earlier this week. The film screened twice to enthusiastic crowds at IFC Center. Director Rohan Spong flew in to attend the screening alongside some of the participants – Ilsa Gilbert, Edith Stephen, Earl Mosley and Mimi Stern-Wolfe. For a full list of award winners, visit DOC NYC’s website.
After its international premiere at DOCNYC this week in New York City, WINTER AT WESTBETH will next be seen at the US Library of Congress.
This Washington D.C. screening will be presented by SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders) and LC-Globe, Tuesday Nov 22nd 12.30PM at the Pickford Theater (James Baldwin Building), Library of Congress.
Director Rohan Spong and poet Ilsa Gilbert (pictured) will introduce the film and participate in a Q&A session.
WINTER AT WESTBETH is to have its international premiere at DOC NYC, the largest documentary film festival in the US.
The film will screen in competition as part of the ‘Metropolis’ program, which screens films about New York City.
Director Rohan Spong is expected to attend the screenings which will occur on the 16th and 17th of November at IFC Center.
Tickets can be purchased to the two screenings HERE.
Following the enthusiastic response at Melbourne International Film Festival, WINTER AT WESTBETH is to have a premiere season of matinee screenings at ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) in Melbourne from Oct 8-18.
For tickets and session times visit the ACMI website.
The striking poster artwork for the Australian theatrical release of WINTER AT WESTBETH was recently unveiled by distributor Vendetta.
WINTER AT WESTBETH will next be seen at the Melbourne International Film Festival, this August. Tickets are now on sale for the two screenings.
Tickets can be booked HERE.
Rohan has recently completed another music video for Georgia Fields (feat. Phia) for the new single Open Orange.
Music blog HHHappy writes:
The film is 2 minutes and 50 seconds of colourful psychedelic waves, with a polished 1960s chic framework, opening and closing with a sea of shimmering orange-painted spirit fingers. It is an elegant presentation of mind-altering, moving backdrops, and black silhouettes of dancing Krishna-worthy limbs.
Visually its comes across as if she’s living in a Rubix Cube, or a colourful headspace filled with daydreams, men, and sugary food groups. The Gorman fashions beautifully compliment the bold colour-blocking screens presenting Fields as a modern day Edie Sedgwick.
The single will be launched Sunday 3rd July at The Gasometer, Melbourne
Georgia’s sophomore album Astral Debris is due to be released on the 26th of August.
WINTER AT WESTBETH had its world premiere as part of the Sydney Film Festival at the glorious State Theatre in Sydney on Friday 17th June.
Director Rohan Spong, producers Adam Farrington-Williams and Lizzette Atkins, photographer Duncan Hewitt and composer Georgia Fields all attended this first screening which was followed by a short Q&A.
The film was screened once more as part of Sydney Film Festival to a sold out crowd at the Dendy Opera Quays cinema on Saturday 18th of June. 101 year old dancer / choreographer (and ambassador for Arts Health Institute) Eileen Kramer was in attendance.
You can read more about the inspiring life and work of Eileen here.
Rohan recently filmed two short videos to accompany the recording of Georgia Fields’ sophomore album Astral Debris at Newmarket Studios in North Melbourne.
The first video is for Where Are We Now?, a cover of David Bowie’s pensive 2013 single. It has been featured in articles on Artshub and in The Age. Georgia will be performing the entire ‘Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ album with her own string arrangement as part of the Bowie Is exhibition at ACMI. Although it is a free event, priority seating is for attendees who have tickets for the exhibition.
The second video is for Georgia’s original song, High Horse, and tells the dark tale of a high school student’s desire. Featured in both videos are players Lizzy Welsh, Ceci Dowling, Judith Hamann and Aaron Barnden.
Rohan is thrilled to announce that Georgia Fields will be composing the original music score for his next feature length documentary, WINTER AT WESTBETH, to released theatrically in Australia and New Zealand in 2016.
Rohan’s first feature documentary will be screened to the public as part of the inaugural Girls on Film Festival. GOFF 14 is billed as a live mixtape of feminism, film, talk and parties celebrating film representations of women’s experience.
T IS FOR TEACHER considers the experiences of four transgender teachers who transitioned whilst teaching in the American school system and screened to acclaim at film festivals in 2009. The screening will take place at 2pm on Sunday 14th of September at the Northcote Town Hall as part of GOFF 14 and will be introduced by Grace Lee of Transgender Victoria.
The screening will also be followed by an audience conversation with Rohan, Grace and film critic Cerise Howard.
To buy tickets to the screening or the action packed festival, visit www.girlsonfilmfestival.com
Rohan Spong and concert pianist Mimi Stern-Wolfe were recently invited to present ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING at the United States Library of Congress in Washington DC.
The film screened to senators, public and Library staff on 25th June as part of LGBT Pride Month.
It was followed by audience Q&A with Mimi and Rohan and short reception at the Mary Pickford Theater.
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It was a huge honour to screen ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING in the nations capital! Mimi and I were thrilled to be invited to Capital Hill, and to experience the enthusiasm the audience had for the film at the Library of Congress. It was definitely an unexpected and affirming experience that I will remember fondly, always. Rohan x |
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Rohan’s new film, provisionally entitled WINTER AT WESTBETH, has just receieved funding from Screen Australia. The film explores the inhabitants and history of an arts community in New York’s West Village. The film has been supported by the Signature Documentary funding stream which supports documentary films bold in form and content. You can read about the other films which received funding under this decision, as part of today’s press release from Screen Australia. WINTER AT WESTBETH is produced by long time collaborator Adam Farrington-Williams (Perseus Pictures) with executive producer Lizzette Atkins of Unicorn Films. The film has previously received funding from Film Victoria’s Documentary Development program. |
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING opens tomorrow at the Village East Cinema (corner or 2nd Ave and 12th Street) New York.
The film will screen daily for a week with sessions at 10:45AM, 12:55PM, 3:05PM, 5:15PM, and 7:25PM (except Sun, 7:55PM).
Audience Q&A Sessions will follow these sessions:
Fri 7.25PM – Rohan Spong, Mimi Stern-Wolfe, Perry Brass
Sat 7.25PM – Rohan Spong, Mimi Stern-Wolfe, Perry Brass
Sun 5.15PM – Rohan Spong and Mimi Stern-Wolfe (only).
The film will also screen on Dec 1st, World AIDS Day, at Middle Collegiate Church, the site of the first Benson AIDS concert.
This screening will be accompanied by Mimi Stern-Wolfe playing solo piano and will be presented as part of the Church’s World AIDS Day program Art and Soul, lead by Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D, assisted by Rev. Gordon Draght, minister during the height of the pandemic and one of the early champions of Mimi’s concert series.
The service will begin at 6PM, followed by a short musical reception at 6.45PM and the film screening at 7PM.
Visit the Middle Collegiate website for more information!
Rohan recently filmed and edited a 7 minute projected video sequence with actor Jason De Santis for Sisters Grimm’s THE SOVEREIGN WIFE. The play recently premiered at the Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) as part of the Neon Festival. The entire season for the show (Directed by Declan Greene and written by Greene and Ash Flanders) was sold out hours before the opening night, prompting an additional show, which was then also sold out. It has received critical acclaim in The Age, Herald Sun, Artshub, Time Out and The Australian, whose reviewer Chris Boyd described it as: “not just the highlight of the NEON festival, it’s the show to beat, so far, in 2013”.
29th April 2014 – *UPDATE!*
THE SOVEREIGN WIFE was the winner of several Green Room Awards, including Best Production and Best Male (Ash Flanders) in the Independent Theatre category.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING has its television premiere on Foxtel’s StudioTV network (Australia) on June 20th at 9pm. Check program guides for repeat screenings. The film will also be available as part of an on-demand service for StudioTV subscribers.
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING will be screened a further time in New York City at Judson Memorial Church (June 20th, 7PM), preceded by a short live concert performed by Mimi Stern-Wolfe and Labyrinth Dance Theater.
Both Mimi and the film were recently profiled in a feature article in the New York Times by John Leland. You can read the article HERE.
It is hoped that the film will do a short theatrical run in NYC later in the year!
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING has finally closed after a stellar 13 week season in Australian Cinemas, having outlasting the likes of blockbusters such as PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER and THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY.
When I reached Mimi Stern-Wolfe to explain that the film has finally closed, she remarked: “It’s so much more than I ever anticipated and makes me glad that I devoted my life to this music”. Thank you to everyone who has come along to support the film at the cinema these last 13 weeks and has helped to share Mimi’s story and this beautiful music. Rohan x x x x
The Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA) have nominated ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING for best documentary alongside the likes of SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN and PAUL KELLY: STORIES OF ME. The film is currently on the eleventh week of screenings at Melbourne’s Cinema Nova.
1st March 2013 – UPDATE
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING lost out to Oscar Winner SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN for the AFCA Best Documentary 2012 prize. Mike Scott received the AFCA award in the Best Review of An Australian Film category for his moving appraisal of ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING. You can read Michael’s review here.
Reviewers for print and web media across Australia seem to agree on a rating for the film – four stars out of five. Check out the ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING page to read the appraisals!
You can also view audience reactions to the preview screening held at Cinema Nova, below:
Due to the overwhelming opening weekend ticket sales at Melbourne’s Cinema Nova (sorry to those of you who were turned away from our sold out Sun 2nd Dec Q&A session!), Cinema Nova have extended their season of the film. You can view and buy tickets for Cinema Nova sessions HERE.
The film has also been programmed for a special one off screening at Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart at 3.30PM of Sunday 16th of December. This session will be followed by a Q and A with Rohan Spong. You can buy tickets HERE.
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE of ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING
Presented by MERCURY CINEMA and FEAST FESTIVAL
Nov 24th 2012 – 7PM Mercury Cinema, Adelaide
Followed by a Q and A by Director Rohan Spong
Ticket proceeds from this screening will be donated to AIDS Council of South Australia (ACSA).
Melbourne – Cinema Nova
All ticket proceeds from 11am Dec 1 screening were donated to Vic AIDS Council / Gay Men’s Health Centre
Sydney – Dendy Newtown
All ticket proceeds from 7PM Sat Dec 1 Screening to be donated to ACON (AIDS Council of NSW) – followed by Q and A with Director Rohan Spong
Canberra – Dendy Canberra
All ticket proceeds from Dec 1 Screening to be donated to AIDS Action Council (ACT).
Brisbane – Palace Centro
All filmmaker’s ticket proceeds from entire opening week to be donated to the Hope Fund for people living with HIV/AIDS.
Adelaide – Mercury Cinema
Ticket proceeds from Dec 1 Screening to be donated to the AIDS Council of South Australia (ACSA)
and in the USA:
NEW YORK – November 30th
6PM at Leslie Lohman Gallery
26 Wooster Street (between Grand & Canal)
Preceded by a shrt live performance by Mimi Stern-Wolfe. Followed by a Q and A with Mimi Stern-Wolfe and Perry Brass (featured in the film) FREE ENCORE SCREENING
BOSTON – December 1st
2PM at Boston Museum of Fine Art
Preceded by a short live performance by Mimi Stern-Wolfe. Followed by a Q and A with Mimi Stern-Wolfe.
KANSAS CITY – December 1st
11AM Tivoli Cinema
Donations to Good Samaritan Project
Screening introduced by Karen Kushner (featured in the film)
CHICAGO – December 3rd
7PM Center on Halsted
With ticket proceeds going to
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING opens in Australian cinemas on November 29th, 2012! The trailer for the film is currently screening in cinemas.
Rohan will be attending a number of screenings around Australia in November and December 2012 to accompany the Australian theatrical season of ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVENING.
Sat 24th Nov, Mercury Cinema, ADELAIDE 7pm
Wed 28th Nov, Dendy Canberra CANBERRA 7pm
Sat 1st Dec, Dendy Newtown, SYDNEY at 7pm
Sun 2nd Dec, Cinema Nova, MELBOURNE at 11am
MONA, Tasmania (TBC)
ROHAN SPONG