John Farnham: Finding the Voice
Release Date: 18th May 2023 - Australia
Production Companies
Beyond Oz
Blink TV Australia
Finding the Voice
Screen Australia
Sony Music Entertainment Australia
VicScreen
Wheatley Records
Distribution
Sony Pictures Australia
Genre: Documentary
Rating: M
Runtime: 95 minutes
Box Office Gross: $2,240,000 (Australia)
Plot Summary
"John Farnham: Finding the Voice" intimately explores the life and achievements of one of Australia's most iconic
artists. This authorised
journey of John Farnham
to find his creative voice
from humble origins as a
child star to record-setting
success as a legendary
solo artist. Interviews
with Farnham, his family,
friends and colleagues
paint a vivid picture of his
professional and personal
life.
On the way, you will see how he persevered and overcame obstacles to become a popular and lasting figure in Australian music history.
Cast
Jimmy Barnes - Himself
Daryl Braithwaite - Himself
Angus Burchall - Himself
Paul Dainty - Himself
Céline Dion - Herself
Tommy Emmanuel - Himself
James K. Farhham - Himself
Jill Farnham - Herself (Voice)
John Farnham - Himself (Voice)
(Archive Footage)
Robert Farnham - Himself
Venetta Fields - Herself
Peter Foggie - Himself
Ross Fraser - Himself
Brett Garsed - Himself
Graham Goble - Himself
Bev Harrell - Herself
David Hirschfelder - Himself
David Mackay - Himself
Richard Marx - Himself
Olivia Newton-John - Herself (Voice)
Cherie Romaro - Herself
Chris Thompson - Himself
Gaynor Wheatley - Herself
Glenn Wheatley - Himself
Robbie Williams - Himself
Rose Farnham - Herself (Voice)
John Farnham, Sr. - Himself (Archive Footage)
Daryl Sambell - Himself (Archive Footage)
Crew
Writer/Director - Poppy Stockell
Writer/Script Supervisor/
Executive Producer - Paul Clarke
Executive Producers - Mikael Borglund
and Martin Fabinyl
Producer - Olivia Hoopmann
Director of Photography - Aaron Smith
Editors - Scott Gray and
Steven Robinson
Re-Recording Mixer - Wayne Pashley
Original Music - David Hirschfelder
Review
I know what you're thinking. You thought this was another biopic about a legendary singer, as it happened before with Queen, Elvis, Elton John, Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston. No, it is a full-length documentary that details the intimate and insightful look of one of the greatest artists that ever lived in Australia. It's neither Jimmy Barnes nor Daryl Braithwaite. It's a story of friendship and overcoming obstacles. Growing up, "You're the Voice" was the song of my childhood, but I did not discover John Farnham's name until I was in my late teens. Since then, I have become aware of the artist and enjoyed listening to his music. It's hard to imagine that John Farnham became a household name in Australia due to the fame he received from his music and the famous anthemic tune he was proud of.
It's incredibly moving that this film discusses the ups and downs of his career, his current health problems and things you didn't know about the singer, including his time with Little River Band, which lasted only three years. It contains a surprising amount of footage and photographs from the period of John Farnham's life, including his childhood and early years as TV Week's King of Pop, assembled by the filmmakers. This documentary shows the singer paying his respects to fellow singer/frequent collaborator Olivia Newton-John and his manager Glenn Wheatley, who both sadly passed shortly after lending their interviews.
JOHN FARNHAM: FINDING THE VOICE is a heartfelt look at the singer, which makes us try to understand who he is. It's a must-see documentary for any Farnham fan, who might catch a glimpse of his personal life as never seen before.
Star rating: (8/10) Very Good Movie
