When the camera stops rolling

Lilias Fraser: a pioneer of Australian cinema who overcame huge personal challenges to make over forty films in her lifetime. Her youngest daughter, cinematographer Jane Castle ACS, tells her mother’s story and that of their relationship using the rich textures of an unseen part of Australia’s cinematic history and her own highly personal cinematography. Tenacious, enthusiastic and ambitious, Lilias overcame huge systemic and personal obstacles in her lifetime. Like many pioneers, however, early childhood trauma drove her, and her life began to unravel over time. Becoming trapped in a destructive marriage then struggling with alcohol and single motherhood, Lilias’s trademark determination finally met its limits. When the Camera Stopped Rolling documents both this trailblazing mother-daughter filmmaking team and the intergenerational trauma that was its shadow. Balancing meticulous archival research with searing honesty and set against stunning visuals, Jane interweaves their struggles and triumphs with clarity and compassion.

Funded by production investment from Screen Australia, assistance of Screen NSW and donations made through the Documentary Australia Foundation.

Australian Government logo with screen Australia
NSW Government
Documentary Australia Foundation (DAF)

Winner: 2021 Spotlight Documentary Award