From drags to riches

I Will Survive judges (from left) Jason Donovan, Toni Collette and Stephan Elliott, and host Hugh Sheridan.

Hopefuls follow the trail blazed by the Priscilla bus reports The Sydney Morning Herald’s Michael Idato.

In 1994, director Stephan Elliott breathed life into a small Australian film, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It would become a cultural touchstone, blending Australia's cosmopolitan gay capital with its mystical, ancient heart.

Its plot - three city-bred drag queens embark on a coming of (middle) age journey from Sydney to Alice Springs in a bus nicknamed Priscilla - resonated powerfully. It was adapted as a stage musical in 2006 and has conquered Broadway and London's West End.

Eighteen years later, it has been turned into a television talent quest, in which host Hugh Sheridan and two judges - Elliott and actor Jason Donovan, who starred in the musical in London - search for the perfect musical theatre ''triple threat'': a singer-dancer-actor.

Elliott describes Priscilla as ''the old bus and chain'', touching gently on the unbreakable connection he has to it. He has affection in his voice, but when he talks about the ups and downs of the 18 intervening years, it is clear that connection has not always been easy to live with.

''When we were making it, I thought it was never going to work,'' he says. ''I thought none of us would ever work again and that level of freedom, which I have never had since, somehow made its way onto the film.

''When it erupted, did I see it coming? No, I didn't. Did I get rich out of it? No, I didn't. There was a bitterness that came with it after that, which was realising how many people got rich off it and I was still basically struggling just to pay rent.

''That took about a decade to get a handle on and there was a period there where I was ready to murder anyone who said 'Priscilla'.''

A television series had been suggested by the film's production studio, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment. Elliott wrote six or seven hours of it, but it did not eventuate.

Adapting Priscilla as a talent show, in the style of British programs that have searched for leads for musicals such as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (in the show Any Dream Will Do) and The Sound of Music (How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?), was raised many times. When the discussion was opened again this year, Elliott says, ''the time felt right''.

''The one thing I remembered, which I was reminded of when I went to the premiere of the [stage] show in Sydney, is what joy it brings people.

''That crowd went bananas. They were just so happy. And that's what it was like doing the film. It was a really fun experience. I felt that if we could encapsulate the same sense of freedom in the TV series, it would work.''

Elliott is front and centre with I Will Survive, he says, to protect the integrity of his original work. ''I don't want to be an actor, and I don't want to be in front of the camera. I'm happier behind a camera, but the only way to do it is to be a judge,'' he says. ''That puts me right in the front line to protect the integrity.''

The shoot - an actual road trip from Sydney to Alice Springs, retracing the film journey, with some side treks built in - has been ''complete chaos'', Elliott says.

''We have 10 cameras running in all different directions, stuff going wrong, but it is very funny.

''Some days we can't get off the ground from laughing so hard. Everybody gets the joke and that's what the brand brings with it.''

The series begins with auditions, takes its top-12 performers on the road trip and, returning to Sydney, takes its finalists to the US, finally arriving on Broadway. Though the Priscilla musical has closed on Broadway, the prize includes $250,000 cash and US representation.

Sheridan signed on after parting ways with Channel Seven's top-rating drama Packed to the Rafters. Though known mostly as an actor, he is a legitimate ''triple threat''; that is, an actor-dancer-singer, though he concedes it is something he hasn't always felt comfortable with. ''Once people are established in musical theatre, it's hard for people to take them seriously as an actor,'' Sheridan says. ''I'm lucky because Rafters allowed people to see me as an actor.''

What I Will Survive is setting out to do, he says, is explain how ''these days it is important to be able to do everything regardless; each discipline as good as the next''.

Sheridan says he was struck most by the transformational aspect of the road trip. ''Most shows use the word 'journey'; we use it, but we can because we're on an actual journey.

''The scenery is breathtaking, the locations are extraordinary … The stage show is not real, the movie is not real; this is real.''

The advantage of filming in Alice Springs and not in a television studio? ''You can't measure it,'' Sheridan says.

Most importantly, Elliott adds, I Will Survive does not stray far from the simple message in the original Priscilla film.

''Priscilla has a simple message of tolerance,'' he says. ''That's the heart of drag: an average kid, who isn't good-looking, who isn't famous, but for one fabulous night they can become this fabulous creation and be the centre of attention.

''The Rocky Horror Show was the same, about the misfits and the losers. And Glee has turned it into an industry. There are a lot of people out there who don't get a shot. And that is the real heart of Priscilla.''

I Will Survive airs on Wednesday on Channel Ten at 7pm.

Channel Ten's I Will Survive talent quest in Port Augusta

On talent quest ... Jason Donovan,Toni Collette ,Stephan Elliott and Hugh Sheridan for Network Ten's I Will Survive. Picture: Network Ten Source: Supplied

The Daily Telegraph reports

Toni Collette is the latest guest judge on Network Ten's new talent quest, I Will Survive.

Collette has joined Jason Donovan and Stephan Elliott as the show travelled to Port Augusta in South Australia in the show's quest to find what's known in showbiz as a ``triple threat'' - someone who can dance, sing and act.

The other female guest judges casting a critical eye over the show's 12 contestants were Rachael Taylor, Magda Szubanski and Asher Keddie.

Collette is no stranger to the small screen, having earned an Emmy for her performance as a woman with multiple personalities in United States of Tara.

Actress Rachael Taylor to be a judge on Channel Ten's new talent show I Will Survive

 

Acting mentor on Channel Ten's talent show .... Actress Rachael Taylor will appear on I Will Survive. Picture: Sam Ruttyn Source: The Sunday Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph reports


The mystery of Rachael Taylor's arrival in Australia this week has been solved, with the former Charlie's Angels star set to round out the judging panel on Ten's upcoming reality talent search I Will Survive.


In a surprising move for the budding actress Taylor - who will act as an "acting mentor" on the show - is rumoured to have accepted the gig after it was turned down by singer-turned-actress Jessica Mauboy.


She will sit alongside judges Jason Donovan and film director Stephan Elliott on the series, which is hosted by Ten's big network poaching Hugh Sheridan and inspired by Elliott's film classic The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert.


Taylor is on location in Dubbo and will film a handful of episodes, though it's not expected she will see out the entire season.


A Network Ten spokesperson said: "I Will Survive is thrilled to have secured Rachael Taylor as a special guest judge for the premiere episodes of our journey in Dubbo.


"We will be announcing a series of other high profile female guest judges who will join the IWS tour as we search for the next 'Hugh Jackman' triple threat performer."


Based on the celebrated road-trip made by three Aussie drag queens in the flick, the show puts 12 would-be performers through their paces before a winner is crowned and featured in a one-off stage performance of the Priscilla musical.


Taylor's addition to the judging panel is certainly a coup for Ten but is an unusual move for the blonde stunner who has enjoyed moderate success in Hollywood, featuring in the first Transformers blockbuster and nabbing a starring role in the (albeit failed) action remake of Charlie's Angels.

Jason Donovan returns to Australia to search for a drag queen for Channel Ten's I Will Survive

Returning to a singing career ... Jason Donovan was a finalist on BBC's 'Strictly Come Dancing'.. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

The Daily Telegraph reports

Jason Donovan returned to Australia yesterday to begin filming I Will Survive, with the one-time '80s pop icon set to act as a judge on Channel 10's upcoming "search for a drag star".

But while 43-year-old Donovan told Confidential it was good to be back in the Ten stable (after his three-year stint on Neighbours between 1986 and 1989), he hasn't fielded any offers to reprise his role as Scott Robinson on the show.

"I haven't and that is probably a good thing," Donovan said yesterday, chuckling.

"I look at that role like an old pair of shoes.

"They were great once but a lot of time has passed since then and they're just a bit too worn now."

Donovan will appear as a judge alongside The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert director Stephan Elliott and host Hugh Sheridan on the Ten talent sing-off that will travel around Central Australia in search of a performer to play the role of Hugo Weaving's "Tick" in a stage production of the Aussie film classic.

Donovan filled the role for 14 months on London's West End.

Blooper mars Elliott's coming out

''A big white elephant in the room we never talked about'' … Stephan Elliott found it hard to come out as gay, even after directing Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Andrew Taylor, The Sydney Morning Herald, reports

Stephan Elliott does not regret coming out at last week's AACTA awards, but admits he made a serious verbal gaffe that implied he was afraid of his family.

''I basically was scared that I was gay,'' Elliott told the audience. ''Even after Priscilla[Queen of the Desert], I stayed offshore basically because I was frightened of my family.''

However, the director has told The Sun-Herald he meant to say he was frightened ''for my family. Yep.''

Elliott said he was not worried they would verbally or physically abuse him for being gay.

''No,'' he said. ''No way in the world. It was just kind of a big white elephant in the room that we never talked about.''

He is circumspect about why he said he was scared: ''I can't really, for their protection, go into it but it's family-related.''

Elliott, 47, was born in beachside Dee Why and grew up in nearby St Ives, the middle child of three and the son of steel-sheeting entrepreneur Peter Elliott. He attended Sydney Grammar School and admitted he had a privileged, if not always happy, upbringing.

Elliott, whose new film is the comedy A Few Best Men, was rebellious.

''I bucked the system by not doing what I should have done, which is what everyone wanted me to be, which is become a doctor or a lawyer or a grown-up,'' he said.

Elliott said he never intended to publicly reveal his sexuality at the award ceremony, saying: ''I honestly didn't mean to go there. I just had a moment.''

Reflecting on his public coming out, he said: ''It did actually hit me pretty hard. It's a weird moment. A weight comes off.''

The revelation, he said, was not a ploy to help publicise his new film.

''It had nothing to do with promoting the film. If anything, it could do more damage. I mean, publicists from my end were furious.''

Elliott said he was dismayed by what he termed ''the marriage equality war'' playing out in Australia, which he said had fallen behind the rest of the world in respecting the rights of homosexuals.

He admitted he had not fought for gay rights in the past.

''I've played a very non-political role all my life,'' he said. ''Honestly, I've been a bit lazy.''

The turning point was Elliott's life-threatening skiing accident in the French Alps in 2004, after which he was given 15 minutes to live. Despite being told he was going to die, Elliott said his partner, Will Bevolley, whom he married in a civil ceremony in Britain four years ago, was not allowed in the ambulance because he was not family.

''God, I've been with the man for 16 years,'' he said. ''I've just been told I'm going to die and they won't let me talk to him?''

Film critic responds to director’s rant

Colin Delaney, Encore Magazine, reports

The film critic on the receiving end of a rant by a director at Tuesday’s inaugural AACTA Awards after giving the film a negative review has told Encore that there was no personal attack to the director.

During the AACTA Awards, A Few Best Men director Stephan Elliott attacked The Age’s Jim Schembri over the critic’s review of the film, accusing Schembri of personal attacks. The attack was removed from Nine’s broadcast of the show.

Schembri on behalf of himself and The Age told Encore: “We respect Stephan Elliott’s right to bite back at negative reviews. However, we never engage in personal attacks in film reviews and cannot see how referring to him as ‘having proved himself worthy of so much better’ constitutes one.

“Also, journalists must never feel any obligation whatsoever to “support” Australian films, only good ones. Stephan Elliott showed with Easy Virtue how talented and accomplished a director he is, and we look forward very much to his next film.”

Schembri went on to congratulate the production for marketing the film well, something the critic felt Australian films lacked.

“Despite what we thought of A Few Best Men, we applaud how well-marketed the film was. Poor marketing has dogged the Australian film industry for far too long and it was heartening to see such a critical issue being taken seriously.”

A Few Best Men’s opening weekend is the highest grossing opener of the past 12 months, surpassing Red Dog’s $1.8m, to take $1.9m.

The incident on Tuesday night was not the first time Schembri has been on the receiving end of an awards-night attack. At the 2008 AFI Awards Jimmy Jack, writer of feature film The Black Balloon read Schembri’s review of the film as he accepted the award for best original screenplay before saying “Fuck You Jim Schembri.” That was also removed from Nine’s broadcast of the show. 

Equality Dinner Sold Out

Picture: courtesy of The Star Observer

Andrew M Potts, The Star Observer, reports

If you were hoping to attend the Equality Dinner on January 25, the event has sold out.

The $300 a head charity event will be held at Sydney’s waterside Quay restaurant.

Australian Marriage Equality (AME) national convenor Alex Greenwich said he had been bowled over by the level of support for the event, which will include a charity auction with items donated by Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, Icon Films, Vodaphone, MasterChef’s Julie Goodwin and signed Lady Gaga memorabilia donated by Universal Music.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of a number of prominent Australians who are helping us out at the dinner,” Greenwich said.

“The funds raised from it will certainly help continue the campaign into 2012 and everybody attending the event will also receive a gift bag from Becker Minty worth around $65.”

Greenwich said Priscilla, Queen of the Desert director Stephan Elliott, whose new film A Few Best Men is released the day after the dinner, had been particularly supportive. Elliott will speak at the event alongside Professor Kerryn Phelps and wife Jackie Stricker-Phelps, columnist Mia Freedman, equality activist Rodney Croome, and radio personality Geoff Field and his partner Jason Kerr.

The Herald Sun reports

Australian entertainer Olivia Newton-John has pledged her support for gay marriage.

Newton-John yesterday joined other celebrities, including Hugh Jackman, film critics David Stratton and Margaret Pomeranz, and costume designer Lizzy Gardiner in backing Australian Marriage Equality's campaign for reform.

"With respect to marriage equality, I believe that no-one has the right to judge and deny couples who love each other the ability to make a marriage commitment," Newton-John said in a statement.

"Love is love."

The statement comes ahead of tomorrow’s marriage equality fundraising dinner, when Australian screenwriter and director Stephan Elliott will announce the support of more high profile Australians.

Australian Marriage Equality National Convener Alex Greenwich welcomed the growing support for reform.

"Australians admire celebrities like Olivia Newton-John and Hugh Jackman because they reflect our values of tolerance and a fair go for all, values which they are reminding us apply just as much to same sex couples as to other Australians," Mr Greenwich said.

Priscilla director calls on celebrities not Canberra for marriage equality

Stephan Elliott, director of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, is calling on celebrities to join the push for marriage equality. Photo: Getty Images.

Jenna Clarke, The Age, reports

Celebrities need to be more outspoken than politicians in order to legalise gay marriage in Australia, according to one of the country's most successful film directors, Stephan Elliott.

According to the screenwriter of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Australia is at risk of becoming a backward society due to immature politicians who are scared to speak up and support marriage equality.

"Come on guys, grow up. Pretty much the rest of the western world has gotten there, let's not go backwards," he told WAtoday.com.au.

"When you think about what Priscilla did about moving forward 18 years ago, I've now realised since that time we've gone backwards."

The 1994 film won an Academy Award for it's eleborate costumes and gained international acclaim and praise for Australian cinema due to its positive portrayal of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Trans community.

Elliott admitted that the Priscilla script and subsequent stage show were not political statements and it wasn’t until a near-death skiing accident in 2004 that inspired him to take action for a social issue close to his heart and home.

The traumatic ordeal left him with a broken neck, back, pelvis and legs and he wasn't expected to survive the fateful ambulance ride that changed his life.

"I was told I was going to die and my partner of 20 years wasn't allowed in the back of the ambulance with me because he wasn't considered family and that has really grated on me ever since," he said in Perth while promoting his new film A Few Best Men.

"I've never been politically motivated and I've been a little bit selfish, but when I saw this issue of marriage equality erupting over here while the rest of the world was getting on with it, it finally made me stand up and fight this one," the European based screen writer and director added.

Elliott, along with his friend Hugh Jackman and film critic David Stratton, have recently signed a statement supporting the Australian Marriage Equality's call for same sex marriage and will be a guest of honour at the AME's Equality Dinner in Sydney next week.

"Everybody is just too frightened and once you've got well known names and well known married names coming out and simply saying 'We support this', it makes people feel a lot more comfortable."

"In North America the first person to actually speak up in support of it was Brad Pitt which started a trigger effect and that's what needs to happen in Australia," he added.

Perhaps another ride around the desert atop Priscilla could help gain support?

"Well the sequel is written and it's there," he said.

"I think there's been enough distance now to know that I can possibly go back there."

While the first film was shot on location in New South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory, Elliott believes its WA's turn to shine in the spotlight, maybe even with sequins and drag queens as the support cast.

"Well you never know! I've got a very good script for WA waiting and I’ve got one good desert film left in me which I've actually already written."

A Few Best Men opens in cinemas on January 26.

A Few Best Men Australian Premiere in Sydney

Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images AsiaPac

Cel Sydney Photography reports

Last night, Event Cinemas Bondi Junction was the stage for the premiere of Australian film director and screenwriter Stephan Elliott’s latest movie A Few Best Men.

A very grassy red carpet was rolled out for a lot of stars from the film to parade on. Although most premieres only have one or two stars attending, there were plenty around tonight as no less than 8 actors and the director came out to Sydney to promote the film.

Olivia Newton-John, who plays the mother of the bride in the film, definitely was the main star on the red carpet. Unfortunately she didn’t spend much time signing for the fans that showed up to see her and was rushed past them to the media and photographers. On top of that, it was unfortunate to see that some of the media abused their powers and got to pose with some of the actors rather than being professional and give the fans their time with actors.

On a good note, some of the actors, especially Xavier Samuel (Twilight: Eclipse, Bait, Anonymous) and director Stephan Elliott (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Easy Virtue, Eye of the Beholder) spend a lot of time with the fans and Xavier even returned back to those who’d missed out on him earlier when he was done with the media. The other boys, Kris Marshall (Death at a Funeral, Love Actually), Kevin Bishop (The Kevin Bishop Show, Muppet Treasure Island) and Tim Draxl (Tangle 2, The Shark Net, Swimming Upstream) also had a great time with everyone that showed up to see them, laughing, posing and signing lots of autographs.

Laura Brent (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) was full of smiles on the red carpet and also enjoying her time with fans.

Other guests that walked the red carpet tonight included Home and Away’s Jessica Tovey & Conrad Coleby, Nathaniel Dean (Wild Boys), Jessica McNamee (Packet to the Rafters), Tottie Goldsmith, Tahyna Tozzi and Malcolm Turnbull.

Olivia Newton-John and Stephan Elliott arriving at the premiere / Photo by Bauer Griffin

Films to watch in 2012

Lynden Barber, The Australian, reports

MAKING hard and fast predictions about the films coming out in the year ahead is a mug's game.

Many of the highlights are yet to be unfurled at film festivals like January’s Sundance, February’s Berlin and May’s Cannes, followed by Toronto and Venice in September.

Here there are bound to be surprises that no-one has predicted; if we’re lucky, one or two movies will arrive like a starburst and dazzle everyone who sees it - witness the French silent movie tribute The Artist at Cannes in 2011.

While some of these new discoveries will be released in the year ahead, a few will be held back for the following year, as is the case with The Artist, finally due for Australian release in February.

Conversely, highly anticipated films - ones from respected directors, featuring beloved stars, or part of a popular “franchise” - can all too easily turn out to be bombs; years in the making and destined to be forgotten in an instant.

Of course some of the bigger Hollywood movies will never see light of day at festivals and instead be kept under close wraps ready for their mega-marketed launches - though websites devoted to leaks from audience test screenings such as Ain’t It Cool News will do their darnedest to spoil any shocks.

Looking ahead is not all guess work though. Since the date of the Academy Awards was brought forward a few years ago, critics and other entertainment media tend to be shown many of the big-ticket items due for release in the first couple of months of the year.

You can add to that the number of independent and foreign language releases that gain premieres on Australia’s own film festival circuit - a testing ground for many film distributors, who use it to gauge audience reaction and spread the word on their top films.

As a result, I’m fortunate enough to have seen eight out of the upcoming 10 films listed here (http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/arts/gallery-e6frg8pf-1226225658544) and can say with confidence that if 2012 also brings the release of some other great titles it will be a rewarding year for cinema lovers.



A Few Best Men
Sure, it’s tasteless in the Hollywood grossout manner. But Stephan Elliott's best chance at a hit since The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is also very funny, thanks in part to Olivia Newton John’s priceless turn as a coke-crazed mother-of-the-bride. Pictured is Tim Draxl, Kevin Bishop, Kris Marshall and Xavier Samuel.

LA’s Ausfilm Week: “Like speed dating without the alcohol”

Report by Colin Delaney, Encore Magzine

Eleven Australian producer teams from across the Australia met with American producers and studio executives at the Ausfilm Week in last week.

Ausfilm’s Deb Richards told Encore the sessions were, “like speed dating without the alcohol, with seven meetings one after another.”

The one-to-one sessions were project-specific, the filmmakers pitching a feature script they looked to receive funding and create co-productions on.

Australian producers included Bill Leimback (Beneath Hill 60), Jamie Hilton (Sleeping Beauty, The Waiting City), Stephen Amis (The 25th Reich), Robert Galinsky & Elizabeth Howatt-Jackman (Prey), Pam Collis (Singularity), Craig Lahiff & Helen Leake (Swerve), Sonya Armstrong (Seduction in the City), Lessa Khan and Marissa Goodhill, Jodea Bloomfield and Pippa Hinchley (The Live Sex Girls), Anthony Maras (The Palace) and Michelle McDonald of Screen Australia.

The selection of US production companies included; The Weinstein Company, Arclight Films, Smoke House Pictures, Artists International, Michael de Luca productions, Fox Searchlight and more.

The one-to-one pitching sessions were just one part of the five day event.

Ausfilm Week is also an opportunity to promote the incentives and offsets the Australian government offers.

The week opened with the screening of Australian upcoming feature A Few Best Men by Stephan Elliott (Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) at the Linwood Dunn Theatre.

Actresses Rebel Wilson and Olivia Newton-John as well as Elliott walked the red carpet with Newton-John and Elliott hosting a Q&A after the film, joined by Sigrid Thornton.

Other events included breakfast seminars, PDV-related lunches, and gala dinners with plenty of opportunities for networking where representatives of a wide range of companies were in attendance; Disney ABC Networks Group, Lakeshore Entertainment, DreamWorks Studios, HBO Films & Miniseries, Columbia Tristar Motion Picture Group, Paramount Pictures and more.

While Richards couldn’t confirm anything solid yet, she said: “Every meeting is a good meeting, but we’ve had success before. Our LA office will have follow ups this week with the LA producers.”

On Tuesday and Wednesday were the one-to-one sessions which saw Australian filmmakers sit down with US producers, development executives and US studios for project-specific pitches and discussions and discuss the 40% offset, 30% post, digital and VFX incentive and the 16.5% locations incentive.

Australian director Shane Abbess (Gabriel) said of similar past events: “As an Australian filmmaker living in Los Angeles, I’ve found Ausfilm to be that often crucial link between our industry at home and here. Their events are a must for anyone looking to bridge the gap between two of the strongest film communities on the planet”.

Grease star Olivia Newton-John is back in leather 33 years after her starring role in famous film

Hell for leather: Olivia Newton-John attends the premiere of A Few Best Men at the International Rome Film Festival

Article in the UK Daily Mail

In 1978 Olivia Newton-John had admirers around the globe lusting after her thanks to her role in Grease.

Fast forward 33 years and she's wearing leather again, just like her character Sandy Olsen did after her transformation.

However, the leather dress she wore at the premiere of A Few Best Men at the 6th International Rome Film Festival didn't quite capture the youthful allure of her biker jacket in the hit musical film.

Olivia, 63, wore the number as part of an all-black ensemble for her red carpet appearance at the premiere of the new comedy film in which she plays a character named Barbara.

And she wore the dress well, matching it with a sheer cardigan, boots and a handbag.

A perfect ensemble for one of her age, a demure cut in a slightly daring material.

The actress was accompanied by her husband John Easterling at the premiere.

John, founder of the Amazon Herb Company, wore a simple yet sharp black suit with a grey scarf for his appearance in Rome alongside his wife.

Earlier in the day Olivia wore a slight different, though equally black, outfit for a photocall ahead of the premiere.

She wore a blazer, white shirt, black leggings, boots and a tie for the event and looked great.

Earlier this week the couple were awarded the Stroud Award of Freshwater Excellence by the Stroud Water Research Center at its annual Water's Edge gala at Longwood Gardens in the suburbs of Philadelphia.

The Stroud Award of Freshwater Excellence(TM), also known as the SAFE Water Award(TM), is awarded for outstanding achievement to those who contribute broadly to the conservation and protection of fresh water.

Olivia and her husband, also known as Amazon John, are both staunch supporters of rainforest conservation and known for work in conserving the Amazon River watershed -- the largest in the world.

A Few Best Men is a comedy about a groom and his three best men who travel to the Australian outback for a wedding.

The film is directed by Stephan Elliott, best known for directing The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert back in 1994.

 
Smart casual: The actress is looking great for 63

A Few Best Men Teaser Posters



Teaser posters for Stephan Elliott’s new movie A Few Best Men - a comedy about a groom who travels to the outback with his best men for a wedding that ends up being a disaster. The movie hits Australian cinema screens in January 2012.

A Few Best Men - Stephan Elliott's new movie hits the screens in 2012

From the writer and producers of Death at a Funeral and the director of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert comes this hilarious new comedy, A Few Best Men. The movie starring Aussies Olivia Newton-John and Rebel Wilson premieres in Sydney on Australia Day (26 January 2012).

See YouTube for more trailers