A Stitch in Time (2021), directed by Sasha Hannen

Liebe has lived with Duncan for decades, giving up her own work as a highly skilled dressmaker to support the aspiring musician. When he loses his last remaining gig at the RSL she wants to take up the needle professionally again, but he is less than enthusiastic. An old friend becomes a cheerleader and, very late in life, Liebe finally stands up for herself and her dreams. This is a really interesting story, with an unpredictable trajectory and ending. It is apparently based on a real person and something of a passion project for the director, who also wrote, edited and produced the film. Unfortunately the execution lets it down. The script needed several more drafts, the clunky dialogue and exposition difficult for the valiant cast to overcome. The acting is patchy – Glen Shorrock, as Duncan, is a very fine musician but no actor. Character actor Maggie Blinco has a lot to carry as Liebe and she is ably supported by Hoa Xuande, as fashion designer Hamish. Their friendship is the keystone of the film and makes up for many of its flaws. One major one is the terrible sound – what is meant to be background noise in several outdoor scenes sounds like a two-way radio. The supporting cast includes veteran actors Belinda Giblin and John Gregg, in his last film.