‘How to Please a Woman’ set to hold world premiere at Perth Festival

Western Australian feature How to Please a Woman will have its world premiere next week as part of the upcoming Perth Festival, ahead of opening in cinemas Australia-wide in 2022.

English actress, television presenter and comedian Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones’s Diary, Veep) plays 50-something Gina who has an inspired business idea to launch an all-male house-cleaning service. However, when her business grows out of control, Gina must acknowledge her own appetite if she is to make a new life for herself.

Phillips leads a stellar cast including Erik Thomson (The Furnace, upcoming feature Blueback), Alexander England (Danger Close, Alien: Covenant), Ryan Johnson (Doctor Doctor, Operation Buffalo) Caroline Brazier (Three Summers, Rake), Josh Thomson (Young Rock, Wellington Paranormal), Hayley McElhinney (RAMS, The Babadook), Tasma Walton (Mystery Road, Cleverman) and Cameron Daddo (The Mentalist, Home and Away).

How to Please a Woman is the debut feature from Western Australian writer/director Renée Webster (The Heights, Itch). An intimate and entertaining insight into sexuality, female desire and ageing, the film is produced by Tania Chambers of Feisty Dame Productions (Kill Me Three Times, A Few Less Men) and Judi Levine of Such Much Films (The Sessions, Falling for Figaro).

Renée, Tania and Judi were the recipients of Screenwest’s 2019 West Coast Visions initiative, with How to Please a Woman receiving $750,000 production funding. Renée was the second female directing recipient in a row, following 2018 West Coast Visions recipient Jub Clerc.

“In addition to the appeal of the tenderness and humour of the screenplay, we were drawn to this project because of its enticing characters – we knew the roles would attract world-class cast – and its strong imagery of early-morning swimmers, stunning beaches, distinctive port-city locations and atmospheric warehouses. We are united in our vision for this film. We particularly love the opportunity to break down taboos, especially if we can make an audience laugh and perhaps even cry while doing it. Women’s voices in cinema are coming to the fore and audiences are craving smart, entertaining female-centric stories.” said Tania Chambers and Judi Levine, Producers.

How to Please a Woman was predominately filmed in the WA port city of Fremantle, with popular coastal spot Leighton Beach serving as the shooting location for the film’s beach sequences.

“This film was borne out of many years of swimming in the Indian Ocean and the camaraderie found in concrete change rooms after a cold dawn swim… when we chose Leighton Beach as our main shooting location I tried to stay out of that decision – not the decision itself, but the staging of it – because I knew I was really emotionally connected to the location and that it had to function well in other ways. Thankfully, it worked perfectly on so many levels. On a personal note, the synchronicity of having my first feature film shot not only in my hometown, but also on the beach where I grew up, felt really powerful.” said Renée Webster, Director.

How to Please a Woman will screen from 27 December 2021 – 2 Jan 2022 at Somerville Auditorium, UWA as part of Perth Festival’s Lotterywest Film Program. Renée, Tania, Judi and actor Tasma Walton will feature in a live post-screening Q&A on Tuesday, 28 December

Screenwest is incredibly proud to see this liberating, female-driven film premiere under the pine trees in its hometown. I can’t wait to see the festival’s audience become swept up in How to Please a Woman’s heartfelt and hilarious storytelling.” said Rikki Lea Bestall, Screenwest CEO.

The film is screening with WA short film Sparkles. Tickets are available through Perth Festival’s website here.

How to Please a Woman received major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Screenwest and Lotterywest and supported in development through Screen Australia’s Gender Matters initiative. It was financed in association with Fulcrum Media Finance/Media Super, WeirAnderson Films, Roxana McMallan Films and private investors. Deanne Weir (Babyteeth), Roxana McMallan (Hildegarde), Olivia Humphrey, Adrian and Michela Fini and Pam and Julius Colman executive produce. Madman Entertainment will release the film in Australia and New Zealand, with international sales by Beta Cinema.

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