Alison Robb has such a passion for films that she would sometimes see three a day at the Melbourne International Film Festival, as well as belonging to four cinema clubs. 

Imagine, then, her dismay when she moved to Daylesford only to find it was minus a cinema. That is one of the reasons she has plunged in to help the campaign to bring back The Rex. Another is just what a cinema means to a community.

“I thought that, instead of complaining about it, I’d be part of the team,” she simply says. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, she moved to Australia 20 years ago when posted by a big international company, working in human relations.

“I came for three weeks, and I stayed. I love it.” 

Her life was upended last year, however, when she had no fewer than 48 strokes. Through her illness she was found to have endometrial cancer which meant having a hysterectomy.

She describes herself as being “lucky” because the cancer was caught, although initially her illness left her unable to eat. 

“I had a cluster of strokes and had to learn to speak and walk. I had to give up my job.” 

Coming to Daylesford for her 40th birthday, she found it a place of solace.

“I did feel the energy when I drove in just four months ago.” 

A new avenue opened when, as a registered foster carer, she began helping mothers with their new-born babies. As for her love of films, she rejoiced in the 2003 American comedy-drama, The Station Agent, about a man, played by Peter Dinklage seeking solitude in an abandoned railway station.

A much-awarded actor, Dinklage, who has dwarfism, is 1.35m tall. He also starred in something else she enjoyed, Game of Thrones. 

Another favourite is Turtles Can Fly, a 2004 Kurdish war drama about three refugee children near the Iraqi-Turkish border waiting for the Americans to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein. 

Her wide range of movie loves is shown by her keenness for Departure, a Japanese film about a failed cellist who returns home to find the only job he can get is as a ritual mortician.

“It’s powerful and moving,” she says. “I love to escape in the cinema…when I was recovering I would watch documentaries 30 minutes at a time. And there is a feeling of comfort in going on your own to a movie.” 

As a dedicated “foodie” Alison devoured the Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil, which spotlights the cuisine of featured cities and the charities and non-profit organisation in their region.

Small wonder that it appeals to her; she has been to almost 60 countries and is soon off to Japan. 

Through Alison’s great-great aunt, the amazing Lorna Moon, Alison is connected to Cecil B. DeMille, a founder of American cinema and the most commercially successful producer-director in film history.

His astonishing output covered 70 films, silent and sound, with many dominating the box office three or four at a time. His adopted son, Richard, was raised among the glamour and luxury of early Hollywood.

From the age of eight he wondered about his birth parents. His curiosity increased because of odd hints dropped by friends and family members, and by his remarkable resemblance to Cecil’s father. 

After 60 years of hunting for his secret mother, Richard found that she was Lorna Moon, a Scottish-born journalist turned screenwriter, and best-selling novelist, who became pregnant during a love affair.

The result was Richard, who was adopted by Cecil and his wife Constance. With such an exotic connection, it comes as no surprise to learn that in Daylesford Alison is keen to see a cinema that would help young people learn about other countries. 

“Children in a country town need to be exposed to the world as only the cinema can do, and it’s a wonderful way to bring the community together.” 

This is the second in a contributed series on the people behind the drive to bring back Daylesford’s cinema. 

Images: Kyle Barnes 

Cinema  

Thank you to members of this wonderful community for your enthusiastic response to the news that cinema is returning to Daylesford, upstairs in the iconic Rex building.  

The response on both Facebook and the Daylesford Community Grapevine  was huge with so many heartwarming messages and lots of offers of help to make it happen.

Thank you one and all. We are in the process of following up the many offers and channelling them in various directions according to interests and skills.

More offers are always welcome as there are many tasks to complete.  It is now time to call on all cinema lovers to dig deep and contribute financially.  

We have just launched our GoFundMe campaign and are very much hoping that  you will be keen to support us financially.

All contributions big or small are most  welcome. Simply go to: https://gofund.me/73e585b0 and follow the prompts.  

Your financial assistance will enable us to get underway with creating an art deco  interior to be proud of, a welcoming entrance with attractive lighting, carpeting, comfortable seats, state-of-the-art cinema equipment, well-equipped café/bar and  ticketing area as well as assisting us through the establishment phase.  

We envisage our community-run cinema being a wonderful space for locals to congregate and socialise as well as providing much-needed nighttime, weekend and  holiday activity for tourists to enjoy.

Involvement in all aspects of both creating and  operating the cinema, bar and café will provide great opportunities for people of all ages to socialise, learn new skills and engage in meaningful activity whilst making an  important contribution to this community.  

As well as providing a variety of film genres, the cinema will host locally made movies/documentaries, musical events, stand-up comedy and small theatrical  productions.

As the town hall will be closed for approximately two years, we see possibilities for the cinema to meet a variety of community needs in addition to its  core business.  

For those who have queries about fundraising and the GoFundMe campaign  contact Jenny Beacham, Daylesford Cinema Group Treasurer, on 0427 512 159.  

For more information contact me, Jules McDonald, on 0400 455 993 or email  julesmcd11k gmail.com

From – Jules McDonald, Daylesford Cinema Group president