Book launch events
Saving Australia will be launched at various events across Australia
in May and June.
PERTH: National launch
in Perth by the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, BankWest
Theatre, Curtin University of Technology, with a public lecture
and associated activity 3-4pm, Friday, May 12. RSVP to JCPML.
Details: 08.9266 4204.
BRISBANE: Launch and ‘evening with
the author’ MacArthur Museum, MacArthur Chambers, Level
8, 201 Edward Street, Brisbane, 6pm for 6.30 pm, Thursday, May 18. By invitation.
Please inquire to annewade@aapt.net.au or call Anne Wade at
0417 719 604.
CANBERRA: Public address in the House of
Representatives Chamber, Old Parliament House, Canberra, on
Saturday afternoon, May 27 and Sunday afternoon, May 28 at
2pm both days. Open to the public. Seating on a first come,
first seated basis. Inquiries: OPH, 02.6270 8222.
SYDNEY: The Australian-Japan Society of NSW and Kinokuniya present the Sydney launch of Saving Australia - Kinokuniya Bookstore, Level 2, The Galeries Victoria, 500 George street (opp QVB), Thursday, 8 June 2006, at 5.30 pm. RSVP 02 9262-7996
MELBOURNE: Early June 2006.
TBA. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And now the Freshwater Productions television documentary…
The Saving Australia story of the remarkable friendship between John Curtin and Tatsuo Kawai is set to become a major television documentary next year. Initial filming has taken place in Tokyo and at Manazuru, in the Kanagawa prefecture south of Yokohama, where Tatsuo Kawai’s classical retreat house overlooks the Bay of Sagami.
Kawai’s house Cho Fu San So (“Long winds mountain cottage”) is the site of many intriguing stories. It was there that Kawai’s private secretary and hostess in Australia, the American Tamaye Tsutsumida, lived out her final young years. Tamaye died of tuberculosis in 1952. She was there when Tatsuo Kawai harbored the mass murderer, Colonel Masanobu Tsuji, in the house. Kawai secretly entertained Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies at Cho Fu San So as the two discussed the restoration of trade between Japan and Australia.
The early stages of the documentary project were funded by the Western Australian funding body, ScreenWest. Interviews with key surviving characters in the Saving Australia story have taken place in Japan.
The second, major stage of the production awaited the publication of the book Saving Australia, Curtin’s secret peace with Japan, and production will resume later this year.
The documentary is a project of Freshwater Productions, the successful documentary company and literary agency which has been operating out of Sydney and Brisbane for more than a decade. Trish Lake, a company principal, was the literary agent for Bob Wurth and his book. Trish is executive producer for the documentary wand Bob is the documentary’s writer.
Trish Lake is an independent producer who has had an extensive career in film and television. She produced the critically acclaimed feature film, Gettin' Square with co-producers Mushroom Pictures and Working Title.
Freshwater Pictures - a Queensland company formed in 2002 to develop and produce feature films and television drama – came out of the successful Freshwater Productions stable. Freshwater Pictures produces feature film and TV drama either wholly independent or as co-productions with Australian or international partners.
For inquiries concerning the Saving Australia television documentary, contact Freshwater Productions.
www.freshpro.com.au
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>> In other media
The Australian, April 27: New documents highlight John Curtin’s close association with the fascist
Japanese envoy.
[Read PDF]
The Sunday Mail, a major Extra feature, April 30: A new book has revealed Brisbane as a spying centre for the Japanese. See www.thesundaymail.news.com.au Curtin-Kawai debate in The Australian
[Read PDF]
The Kawai story, barely mentioned in Australian history, dormant for over 60 years. (Preface).
[Read PDF]
Kawai punished for love of Australia and friendship with Curtin.
[Read PDF]
The tragedy of
Tamaye Tsutsumida, a young Japanese American.
[Read PDF] |
