No. 78 (2022) CLEAN Sept 26th.

 

Film No. 78 (2022)  September  26th.  2.50 PM   Cinema 7.  LUNA,  Leederville.

 

"How do I want to be remembered? It's a good question. As a good person, pure and simple." (Sandra answers the ultimate question). 

Nominee: Grand Jury Prize (Lachlan McLeod) SXSW Awards.

 

Sandra Pankhurst is the subject of this thoughtful, impactful film made by Lachlan McLeod (BIG IN JAPAN). 

Who is Sandra Pankhurst some of you ask, others will know Pankhurst as a street-wise, resilient, sensible, empathetic, highly astute business woman who has a riveting story to tell. 

CLEAN does a good job in telling the story of this good person. A person who was given up at birth, abused by adoptive parents, married, had a family, then transitioned to become a woman. Sandra then became a sex worker, endured a horrendous rape, became a funeral director and finally, built the biggest Trauma Cleaning business in Victoria. Unfortunately the chemicals she was exposed to prior to the wearing PPL became a must, meant Sandra paid a painful price.

It's all well and good to focus on Sandra and hold a camera to her in various locations while discussing her thoughts and feelings. But a greater understanding of who she really is and what she espouses comes when we travel with, and spend time amongst her employees on a plethora of clean-ups. We visit sites of murder and suicide, hoarder abodes and State Housing evictions. Many of the jobs at first glance look impossible to reconcile. It's the compassion instilled in these workers that emphasises the genuine love Sandra has for the workplace she has built. She is held in the highest regard by employees and clients alike. 

I'm looking forward to McLeod's next project. He has a smart eye for people. Sandra has told her story in a book (THE TRAUMA CLEANER) by Sarah Krasnostein). I've not read it, but there is detail, I'm sure, told though words. CLEAN is also detailed in an "every scene tells a thousand words" way.  10GUMS.