After reading an interview of Elizabeth Fiddian in the Age in 2003 about her time volunteering at the mission, Matt Blackwood and Csilla Csonvay contacted Nigel Porteous to offer to film a documentary. The filming was self-funded: they had a volunteer crew of three, pulled some personal favours to source the equipment, Csilla edited the film at her workplace’s edit suite out of hours. Nick Farnell provided the voice overs for reading out the letters. It was recorded in a week end, on Betacam. They interviewed six or more members, who talked about their experiences, and they intercut their interviews with archival footage from the Mission. The interviews took place both at the Mission as well as in some of the interviewees' homes. The film was premiered at the Mission, and where it was played on a dedicated TV for visitors on a DVD. In 2023, Matt send a digital copy in mp4.The producers met some of the surviving ladies of the Harbour Lights Guild who gave up their Saturdays and Sundays to arrange events and outings for lonely sailors arriving in Melbourne. Documentary including interviews, photographs from the MSTV archives, and reading of Lillie Duncan letters from Charlie.sadie wilson, annette wood, bernice kennett, rodney kent, jan lee, dennis lee, 2003, csilla csongvay, matt blackwood, beverley kent nee oliver, nigel porteous, charlie, lillie duncan, nick farnell, elizabeth fiddian

Synopsis: “In WW1 Melbourne a pioneering network of women at the Mission to Seafarers called the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild supported sailors who risked their lives at sea. The documentary “Harbour Lights” tells the remarkable story of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild and the lives of seafarers in early 20th century Melbourne. It focuses on Melbourne’s iconic Mission to Seafarers building, its connection to the Great War and to a unique community of ships crew and volunteers. Featuring Melbourne historians, commentators, archivists and architects and rare footage and images of sailing and social life in and around the ports of Melbourne, this film will inform and connect audiences young and old.” Commissioned by Victorian Government The movie was produced in collaboration with the Mission to Seafarers Victoria. It was directed by Jary Nemo and written and produced by Lucinda Horrocks and Jary Nemo with executive producers Sue Dight and Gordon MacMillan. The film features: Jill Garner Kate Darian-Smith Chris McConville Janet Miller (curator) Gordon MacMillan (former seafarer and board committee member) Narrated by Sharon Turley. Music by Richard Chew (professor of the Arts Academy in Ballarat) The film was presented at several festival in Australia and abroad in 2020-2021. Credits: Narrator Sharon Turley Featuring (in order of appearance) Dr Chris McConville, Gordon MacMillan, Janet Miller, Professor Kate Darian-Smith and Jill Garner With Raul S Gantalao Jr, Escoto Lemuel, Ben Schroeder, Cinda Manins And Ian Fletcher, Yuan Jia, Uma Kothari, Gordon Lansley, William Reed and Cheka Samaranayake Directed by Jary Nemo Written and Produced by Lucinda Horrocks and Jary Nemo Music by Richard Chew Executive Producers Sue Dight and Gordon MacMillan Research advisors Geraldine Brault, Maria Culka, Professor Kate Darian-Smith, Ros Fletcher, Professor Uma Kothari, Dr Barbara Lemon, Catherine McLay, Dr Chris McConville, Janet Miller, Rick Mitchell, Duncan ‘John’ Perryman, Dr Annette Sheill and Peter Taylor Archival photographs, music and footage courtesy of Australian Red Cross Society, Central Highlands Libraries, Internet Archive, National Film and Sound Archive, National Library of Australia, Mackarness Family Personal Archives, Mission to Seafarers Victoria, Public Record Office Victoria, State Library of Victoria and US National Archives Music Harbour Lights. Music by Richard Chew. Westering. Music by Richard Chew. Twilight (Crépuscule) by Jules Massenet. Performed by Amelita Galli-Curci. I Love You So, Waltz from The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár. Performed by Elise Stephenson and Harry Macdonough with Orchestra. Harbour Lights 2. Music by Richard Chew. If I Could Fly by Walking Hearts featuring Jennifer Holm. Courtesy of Epidemic Sound. With thanks to Peter Barrow, Sarah Bartak, Lin Bender AM, Patty Braumueller, Csilla Csongvay, Emer Diviney, Moira Drew, Ian Fletcher, Ajith Jayasuriya, Ben Jones, Patience Jones, Cinda Manins, Madeleine Martiniello, Georgia Melville, Elisabeth Moglia, Tara Oldfield, Lyn Pasquier, Nigel Porteous, Rev’d Onofre (Inni) Punay, Dr Rosalie Triolo, Ben Schroeder, David Simpson, Cheka Samaranayake, Daria Wray, the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and KPMG. A special thanks to The women of the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild 1906 to 1961 Produced in collaboration with The Mission to Seafarers Victoria Created with the support of The Victorian Government Licensing This film has been released under a Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license Acknowledgement of country Project production and development took place on the lands of the Kulin nation. We acknowledge Traditional Owners and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future. Production company A Wind & Sky Production Copyright with © Wind & Sky Productions MMXIX The film was launched on Wednesday 26th February 2020 at the Mission. Speech by Veterans Affairs. Amongst the guests were current and former volunteers (Maria Culka, Gordon MacMillan, Elisabeth Moglia), curators (Georgia Melville, Jay Miller, Geraldine Brault)18mn documentary mixed of photographs from teh collection and interviews about the Ladies Harbour Lights Guild work during WWIladies harbour lights guild, documentary, jay miller, janet miller, geraldine brault, lucinda horrocks, gordon macmillan, jary nemo, kate darian-smith, jill garner, chris mcconville, sharon turley, richard chew, footage, archive