About Love

The survival of 'About Love' (1973) is thanks to the dedicated efforts of Ex Film, an organisation focused on unearthing and restoring lost or neglected cinematic works. They meticulously restored the film from its original camera negatives. This process involved careful cleaning, repair, and digitisation to ensure the film could be viewed in the best possible quality, overcoming decades of neglect and the challenges posed by its initial suppression.

While specific thematic details are not extensively documented, the film's original suppression by cinema owners fearing police prosecution suggests that 'About Love' likely delves into mature or controversial subject matter for its time. The title itself implies explorations of relationships, intimacy, or perhaps societal taboos surrounding love and human connection. Its restoration by Ex Film brings these potentially provocative themes back to light for contemporary audiences to interpret.

The director of the 1973 anthology film 'About Love' remains unknown. This anonymity adds another layer to the film's mysterious past. Given its original conception as five shorts and the subsequent issues with exhibition, it's possible that the directorial credits were obscured or never clearly attributed in the initial limited screenings. The focus of its rediscovery has largely been on its restoration and the circumstances of its suppression.

'About Love' holds a unique, albeit clandestine, place in Australian film history due to its controversial reception and subsequent suppression. Its existence as an anthology initially intended for broader release, only to be deemed too provocative for public exhibition in 1973, speaks volumes about the era's social attitudes and censorship. Its rediscovery and restoration by Ex Film offer a rare glimpse into a potentially boundary-pushing film that was denied its audience.

Information regarding current streaming availability for 'About Love' (1973) in Australia can be somewhat elusive due to its unique and suppressed history. While it has been restored, its distribution beyond limited screenings or special releases is not widely advertised. Interested viewers should monitor announcements from independent film distributors or archival institutions that might champion such rediscovered cinematic works.

This bold 1973 anthology film, originally conceived as five separate shorts, faced significant hurdles upon its creation. Cinema owners, fearing police prosecution, refused to screen it, leading to its near-total disappearance. It famously screened only once for members of the Sydney Graduates Club. For decades, 'About Love' remained locked away, a lost piece of Australian cinematic history, until its recent resurrection and restoration by Ex Film.