A film which tells the life story of late Wintringham client Stephen Whittaker recently won the Best Documentary award at the Setting Sun Film Festival in Yarraville (Victoria).
Painting My Canvas, directed by local filmmaker Mark Hellinger, is a confronting and moving real life tale about former East Bentleigh housing resident Stephen Whittaker, who unfortunately experienced disadvantage, abuse and homelessness early in his life, and how he came to find both solace and great talent in his art.
In an interview with We Are Moving Stories, Mark says, “I want people to understand the plight of many people who suffer from addiction is often due to traumas they have been through. I also want people to empathise with people living on the street, to stop and help them when they can, as at one time they were just innocent children too.”
Wintringham Manager Community Services Southern Region Kelly Jackson, who worked very closely with Stephen as manager of the Home Care Package Program, says that art was incredibly important to him, “Art to Stephen was therapeutic and great for his mental wellbeing,” she said. “He took great pleasure in creating art. It was purely for himself and was deeply personal.”
Stephen has unfortunately since passed away, however his legacy and talent lives on.
To view the trailer for Painting My Canvas visit: hproductions.com.au/portfolio/painting-my-canvas/
The next opportunity to see a screening of the film, will be at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival at Cinema Nova in Carlton on 11 September.