Women Make Waves International Film Festival

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    The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

    Leanne POOLEY 2009 New Zealand Documentary color 84min English 35mm
    The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls tells the story of the world’s only comedic, singing, yodeling lesbian twin sisters, Lynda and Jools Topp, whose political activism and unique brand of entertainment has helped change New Zealand’s social landscape. In the process they have become well-loved cultural icons.
    The film follows the girls from their happy childhood on a Waikato dairy farm ─ where they grew up singing to the cows ─ to the Territorial Army where they quickly became the Vera Lynns of their battalion. They came of age performing on the streets of Auckland during the heady days of the political protest marches in the early 80s, and quickly joined the forefront of progressive social change campaigning for a Nuclear-Free NZ, Maori Land Rights, a halt to the1981 Springbok Tour, and Homosexual Law Reform. By 1998 only a decade later, Lynda Topp, as Camp Mother, came close to winning the mayoral elections in Auckland, and the Topp Twins were firmly entrenched in the bosom of Kiwi culture with their own prime time TV Series Do Not Adjust Your Twinset. It’s not just the story of two sisters, but also of 50 years of New Zealand history. Half a century of cultural changes and the foundation of a national identity.

    Director

    Leanne POOLEY

    Leanne POOLEY is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished documentary filmmakers. Born and raised in Canada, she immigrated to New Zealand in the mid-1980’s and began working in the New Zealand television industry. In 1992 she moved to England where she made documentaries for Britain’s major broadcasters including BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 as well as PBS in America. Her films featured on internationally acclaimed series such as; Everyman, Modern Times, and 40 Minutes. Her documentaries have screened in more than 100 countries, and include topics ranging from rugby to the Pope. She lives in Auckland with her husband and two children.

    Director's Statement ▾

    Leanne POOLEY

    2003 Haunting Douglas

    2005 The Promise

    2006 Try Revolution

    2007 Being Billy Apple

    2009 搖滾牛仔姐妹花 The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls

    Director: Leanne POOLEY

    Producer: Arani CUTHBERT

    Cinematography: Leon NARBEY, Wayne VINTEN

    Editing: Tim WOODHOUSE

    Music: Jools TOPP, Linda TOPP

    Cast: Jools TOPPm Linda TOPP

    Language: English

    Print Source: Diva Productions Ltd

    Diva Productions Ltd

    TEL: +64 21 859 555

    E-mail: k.a.stevenson@gmail.com

    www.topptwins.com

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