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Sadness

Photographer William Yang explores issues of grief, family and identity in this adaptation of his acclaimed stage performance, Sadness.
Year : 1999 | Total Duration : 52 Minutes | Producer : Michael McMahon, Megan McMurchy
Director : Tony Ayres |
Opening titles. Hand flicking through photographic slides on light box. Scanning over slides with magnifying glass, various images of men, some in costume. CU hand putting slide into projector. CU William Yang in studio turning to camera with red curtains behind, opens eyes.
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Access No. 129633 | 1 min 46 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Title: Allan. William Yang in studio talking to camera talking about his friend Allan being sick, that he saw him at St Vincent's Hospital in AIDS ward. He recognised him but Allan had changed. CU hand on slide projector. Still B&W photographs: Allan in hospital bed, Allan with friend Jeffrey in hospital, Allan with Jeffrey and other man.
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Access No. 129634 | 57 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in studio to camera. Talks about taking colour photo of his friend Allan (who had AIDS), saying it was the best he looked. Projection of the portrait behind Yang.
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Access No. 129636 | 18 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Various colour photographs of William Yang's friend Allan (who had AIDS) in hospital posing by bed. Yang in studio talking about Allan coming off medication, photograph of Allan smiling projecting behind. CU Yang to camera describing Allan's condition just before he died. Photograph of Allan very ill in hospital bed. Yang to camera saying Allan had died. VS photographs Allan as young man and with Yang.
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Access No. 129637 | 2 mins 2 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Family. Looking up at towers and cables of Anzac Bridge, Sydney as moving along. Studio shot William Yang sitting in car, projection behind. POV Looking behind from moving vehicle to traffic behind crossing Anzac Bridge. Looking across road to cars crossing bridge, city buildings behind. Yang in car. POV car across road to city buildings, POV across road to boats on water.
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Access No. 129873 | 55 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Track POV car to suburban houses driving around house belonging to William Yang's parents in Graceville, Brisbane. CU Yang in studio to camera talking about how his father wanted he and his brother to live with them Chinese style. Photograph Yang as young man. Blurry shots of lights.
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Access No. 129874 | 37 secs | 1990s | Graceville, Brisbane, Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in studio with photograph of his family taken in 1970s projected behind. More recent photograph of Yang's brother Alan and sister Frances. Still photograph Yang and Frances. Yang to camera recalling story his mother told him about her sister's arranged marriage. Sepia photograph of couple in 1920's. Yang to camera saying man was murdered (Fang Yuen). CU Yang's mother as elderly woman. Yang says she regretted telling him about murder.
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Access No. 129875 | 1 min 13 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang's hand on remote control. B& W photograph Yang with brother Alan and sister Frances as young children dressed in Pierrot hats. B&W photograph Yang and brother in school uniform. B&W photograph Yang with class mates in Year 8 school photograph. Yang to camera saying he has grown up feeling uncomfortable about being Chinese.
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Access No. 129876 | 36 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in studio driving car, projection behind showing green landscape of North Queensland around Innisfail. POV moving car over bridge to river below. Yang in car, steam coming out, projection of road behind. Still photograph of relative Kristine and husband Benny Pierantozzi. B&W photograph Kristine's Chinese mother Dora on wedding day with Australian husband. Yang with camera organising Kristine with her sisters and their families for photographs. CU's individual children posing for camera.
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Access No. 129877 | 1 min 48 secs | 1990s | Innisfail, Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Nicolaas. Still photograph of man Nicolaas seated. Yang to camera talking about how Nicolaas worked for AIDS Council of NSW at that time. Still photographs of posters aimed at homosexuals ÒLove Him SafelyÓ and ÒHave a Safe Sex SummerÓ. Yang to camera talking about how Nicolaas wanted a photograph of himself as he was turning 40, agreed to let Yang record him through his illness in return. Still photo of Nicolaas with bare torso projected behind. Still photograph of Nicolaas.
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Access No. 129878 | 1 min 11 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Family. POV from travelling car to Queensland houses. Still photograph of William Yang's relation Herbert See Poy holding sign of the See Poy Shop, department store in Innisfail. Photograph of shop. Yang to camera saying See Poys were premier Chinese family in district. CU See Poy's face, Yang to camera describing event of his uncle Fang Yuen's murder in 1922 as told to him by See Poy. Dramatisation of shooting in studio against projections. William Yang in studio to camera saying it was very convincing.
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Access No. 129879 | 1 min 32 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Scotty & Kingo. Various B& W still photographs friends artist Peter Kingston and Scotty. Hand on remote control. William Yang in studio to camera describing how Scotty was HIV positive and how he was frightened of hospitals. Projection of Scotty behind. Hand on remote control. Photograph of Indian Empire restaurant exterior. Yang to camera describing Scotty's other fear of dying at home and his body being carried past the restaurant. Photograph of box on table in study.
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Access No. 129880 | 1 min 41 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Still photo of video cover art from film ÒIt's a Wonderful LifeÓ.
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Access No. 129881 | 6 secs | 1990s | © Republic Entertainment Inc. | Colour |
William Yang in studio to camera saying friend Scotty died (after taking pills). Various B&W photographs of Scotty. Yang in studio with photographs projected behind, describes how Scotty' s friend Kingo (Peter Kingsford) had hand stitched a quilt to mark his death from AIDS. Shots taken from above of four people unfurling different quilts joined together.
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Access No. 129882 | 2 mins 6 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Family. Track from POV moving car to empty sugar cane train next to sugar cane plantation. Still photograph of William Yang's Auntie Kath. William Yang in studio to camera describing his mother being appalled by the visit (to Kath). Photograph Kath with Bobby Lee Long, Photograph savouries on table. Yang to camera saying savouries were a delicacy on Chinese circles. Photograph Kath seated at table.
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Access No. 129883 | 1 min 12 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Dramatisation of story of murder Yang's uncle Fang Yuen in 1920's as told by Auntie Kath. Studio shot of Kanak man (originally from South Pacific Islands) with sugar cane field in flames projected behind. Hand taking spear and stabbing Yang's uncle Fang Yuen. Gun fired. Yang in studio to camera saying story seemed far fetched.
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Access No. 129884 | 48 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in car in studio with projection behind. Hand on remote control. William Yang in studio with projection behind of farm owner John Strano driving. Yang recalls Strano saying Chinese owned farm before his family. Still photo of Strano's mother, she said Yang's uncle Fang Yuen had been shot in a shed on the farm. Pan across paddock with hills behind. Still photograph shed.
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Access No. 129885 | 53 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang to camera recalling how he had been told to meet Jenny Jury who had previously lived on farm where Yang's uncle Fang Yuen had been murdered in the 1920's. Still photograph Jenny Jury. Yang to camera in studio. Dramatisation of Yuen and his murderer Danelchenko playing cards, Danelchenko standing in court. Wooden box on table being opened, diamond ring inside and on Danelchenko's finger. Yang to camera.
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Access No. 129886 | 1 min 31 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
GV across paddock with small green crop growing, hills behind, tractor on horizon. William Yang stands in studio with shot of paddock projected behind talking about the stories he had heard about the murderer of his uncle Fang Yuen in the 1920's and that the Chinese were bitter about the outcome of the trial, miscarriage of justice. POV moving car track past sugar cane field, hills behind. Hand on remote control, CU slide carousel turning.
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Access No. 129887 | 39 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © NFSA | Colour |
Title: Peter & David. B&W still photograph Peter Tully and David McDiarmid laughing together. William Yang in studio to camera saying they were artists and all became friends. 3 photographs of three men together. Yang to camera saying they were influence to his work. Still photograph of work by Peter and work by David. Yang talking about Peter telling him that he had AIDS. B&W photograph Peter seated in chair.
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Access No. 129888 | 1 min 4 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang to camera talking about the condition of his friend Peter Tully when he was diagnosed with AIDS. B&W CU Peter. Flurry of blurred coloured lights (as if train passing). Various B&W photographs of Peter socialising with friends. Photographs of Peter at retrospective given to him at the Australian National Gallery. POV train moving through Central train station and POV bus exterior station. Photos of Peter.
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Access No. 129889 | 52 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Night shots POV moving vehicle along Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, TRACK past service station, Central Station POV train, Harry's Cafe de Wheels, Woolloomooloo. POV car to grass and road at night. Still B&W photograph group of friends at sewerage works, Malabar. Various photos of William Yang's friend Peter Tully dressed as elderly woman on bus. Blurry coloured lights, city street. More photographs of friends partying on bus.
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Access No. 129890 | 1 min 12 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in studio with projection of friend Peter Tully behind. Yang saying that he died (of AIDS) in Paris. Various photographs of Peter dressed up, friend David McDiarmid sitting on grass. Peter dressed up standing in front of his art work. B&W photographs of Peter and David together in 1970's. Obituary for Peter in Star Observer newspaper. B&W photograph David standing in front of art work.
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Access No. 129891 | 1 min 22 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title : Family. POV track from moving car across road down to coast line, across grass to sea, past houses. William Yang in car in studio looking at map with buildings projected behind. Photograph of David Fang Yuen, Yang's cousin, son of uncle Fang Yuen who was murdered in 1920s. Dramatisation of Yuen being shot as he sat writing at desk. Dramatisation Yuen as child standing with projection behind. Bloody blanket over murdered body. Photograph of David's brother Frank Fang Yuen. Dramatisation of Frank's version of murder by Black Hand, Yang to camera saying story was second hand.
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Access No. 129892 | 1 min 58 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Nicolaas. Nights shot, man stirring under blue sheets, sweating body. CU photograph Nicolaas. William Yang to camera saying he had good attitude to his illness (AIDS). Photo of Nicolaas seated on floor. CU pan up of grass plant, xantheria. Photograph of Nicolaas with grass.
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Access No. 129893 | 1 min 27 secs | 1990s | Sydney, Australia, NSW | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Family. Good shot looking down railway track, grasses growing around rural setting. Old Dimbulah railway stations. William Yang in studio to camera explaining why he had never learnt to speak Chinese. B&W still photograph of Yang's parents. Yang to camera saying his mother couldn't see point of teaching them Cantonese. Dramatisation of Yang being teased at school. Yang to camera recalling how he asked his mother whether he was Chinese, and that she made him feel as though being Chinese was a curse. Dramatisation Yang and brother. Yang to camera saying irony that he now makes career of being Chinese.
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Access No. 129894 | 2 mins 3 secs | 1990s | Dimbulah, Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
POV car tracking past sugar cane fields. William Yang in studio driving car with projection behind. Track over bridge, river below. LAS up to Innisfail Court House (projection). Yang walks into shot and takes photograph. Dramatisation woman at court house bringing out box (projection of office behind) of records relating to trial of Danelchenko who was accused of murdering Yang's uncle Fang Yuen in 1920's.
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Access No. 129895 | 49 secs | 1990s | Innisfail, Qld. Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in front of slide projections showing notes relating to testimonies for the trial of his uncle Fang Yuen's murderer Danelchenko. Yang to camera saying then killing a Chinaman was not considered a crime. Sepia photograph of hut where murder took place. Dramatisation of argument between Fang Yuen and Danelchenko and murder with gun. Photographs of blood splattered papers.
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Access No. 129896 | 1 min 32 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Sepia photograph of William Yang's mother as a young woman, she was a witness at the trial of Yang's uncle Fang Yuen's murderer Danelchenko. Dramatisation of hand with diamond ring in wooden box. Yang in studio to camera with projection of his mother as an elderly woman behind, he talks about the event being a traumatic event for her, that the trail proved you could kill a Chinese person and go free. The legacy of the murder was Yang's mother denying his Chineseness.
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Access No. 129897 | 1 min 8 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Mardi Gras. Projection of Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade in Sydney. Men in foreground.
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Access No. 129898 | 21 secs | 1980s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © Beyond Vision | Colour |
Various quick colour photographs of Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade in Sydney. Various shots of William's Yang's friend artist Peter Tully at the Mardi Gras. Archival footage of parade. B&W shots of Yang's friend Scotty at Mardi Gras dressed as sailor. More archival footage of parade. B&W photograph of Yang's friend Allan at at parade with flag. More archival footage of parade.
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Access No. 129899 | 1 min 6 secs | 1980s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © Beyond Vision / William Yang | Colour |
Photograph of William Yang's artist friend Peter Tully dressed in Judy Free outfit at Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney. Photograph of sign he carried ÒMoody bitch...Ó Archival footage of parade. Photograph of Yang's friend David McDiarmid at parade. More archival footage. More photographs of parade including one of Yang's friend Scotty dressed as AIDS apparition.
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Access No. 129900 | 1 min 2 secs | 1980s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © Beyond Vision / William Yang | Colour |
Title: David. William Yang in studio talking to camera about the deterioration of the condition of his artist friend David McDiarmid (who suffered from AIDS). Projection behind of David in front of Art Gallery of New South Wales. David's book ÒToxic QueenÓ with hand paging through. B&W photograph of David sitting next to skull 2 weeks before his death. Hand on remote control. Photographs of David's artwork of kitchen utensils arranged as totem poles. Yang to camera talking about farewell to David as if he would see him again.
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Access No. 129901 | 2 mins 9 secs | 1980s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title: Family. William Yang to camera saying his parents built dream home in 1950's. Hand on remote control. Still photographs of house recently in poor condition. Photographs of Yang with mother and brother Alan and sister Frances visiting home in North Queensland in 1992. Yang to camera saying his mother died 10 days later. Photograph Yang's mother with friends.
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Access No. 129902 | 55 secs | 1990s | Qld, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in studio to camera with projection of water lilies behind talking about his mother having a stroke. Good sots of waterlilies on water. Yang to camera talking about his brother Alan crying whilst giving news of mother's death. Photograph of Alan. Yang to camera talking about this being first time his older brother needed him. Still photograph interior mother's home. Photographs of Yang's mother on her own and with friends and family. Good CU yellow and pink roses.
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Access No. 129903 | 2 mins 17 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
Title Nicolaas. William Yang talking about his friend Nicolaas being admitted to hospital (he suffered from AIDS). Still photograph of Nicolaas in bed. Yang to camera talking about Nicolaas telling his family that Yang could take his photograph. CU photograph of Nicolaas. Yang talking about Nicolaas asking him over but Yang not able to and when he did Nicolaas was dying. Photograph of very ill Nicolaas in bed.
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Access No. 129904 | 1 min 15 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang in studio to camera talking about his friend Nicolaas coming out of a coma (he was suffering from liver failure due to AIDS) and trying to talk to him. Still photograph of Nicolaas very ill in bed. Yang says he finally knew that Nicolaas wanted to tell him which photograph to print on card after his death. Yang with projection of card behind. Photographs of Nicolaas' dead body and face.
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Access No. 129905 | 1 min 38 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
William Yang and others holding candles at dramatisation of a memorial service for friend who had died of AIDS. CU's faces as names read aloud. William Yang in studio to camera saying how he wrote to a friend describing his sadness and kindness and support of others.
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Access No. 129906 | 1 min 25 secs | 1990s | Sydney, NSW, Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
CU burning red candle in soft focus pan to framed photographs of William Yang's friends and mother who have died. CU candle. Yang to camera talking about letting spirits go and not pulling them back with our sadness. Pan along photographs and Chinese figurines. Yang to camera saying loved ones never lost, always in heart. Yang kneeling at shrine of photographs of friends and relatives, he places joss sticks of incense at alter and bows. Still photographs of people in film.
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Access No. 129907 | 2 mins 59 secs | 1990s | Australia | © William Yang/ NFSA | Colour |
National Film and Sound Archive - Australia