 Welcome to the newsletter from Distance Families DISTANCE FAMILIES NEWSA Library of Free Resources I’ve been doing a bit of housekeeping on my website lately, and it reminded me just how many free resources DistanceFamilies has to offer—across every generation. You’ll find a wide range of content, including articles (both mine and from other writers and researchers), interviews, webinars, podcasts, helpful reading, and more. There really is something for everyone. I invite you to visit the site today—you’re bound to discover something that resonates with you. P.S. If you come across a link that doesn’t work, I’d really appreciate you letting me know so I can fix it. Thanks so much!
Over the years, I’ve shared a range of book reviews on my Instagram page, all centred around global mobility, in one way or another. I’m now getting back into the rhythm of posting regularly again. If you enjoy thoughtful book reviews, I’d love for you to follow along on Instagram (@ HelenEllis.Author) and explore the hashtag #globalmobilitybooks. BOOK SERIES NEWSIt was a pleasure to be part of the @AgesofPages book fair in Hamilton, New Zealand. It was wonderful meeting so many parents, grandparents, migrants, and expats—each with their own unique story to share. The event was incredibly well run, and it was inspiring to see how far some stallholders and attendees had travelled to be there. A big thank you to the amazing volunteer team. And thank you as well to @NZSocietyofAuthors, @IndieBooksNZ, @LittleFreeLibrariesNZ, @Mrs_Moa_Book_hub and the librarians who attended and continue to do such an outstanding job supporting local authors.
ON THE HOME FRONTThis month we’ve managed to take in a few theatre shows, talks, and films—two of which featured former female New Zealand Prime Ministers. Jacinda Ardern continues to enjoy a strong global following, and Netflix has recently released her documentary Prime Minister. I missed it when it was in cinemas, so was pleased to catch up online. As you may know, her husband Clark Gayford is a television presenter and producer, and it was his idea to begin filming Jacinda from the early days of her time in office. As a result, the documentary includes plenty of informal, behind-the-scenes footage—from life at home with a newborn to the rhythms of everyday family life. There’s nothing overly polished about the film, which is part of its appeal. Their home life feels refreshingly real, with Clark taking on the role of primary caregiver to their daughter, Neve. He is best known for his fishing programme, as well as a wonderfully quirky reality series that follows houses being relocated—always in the middle of the night—from one site to another. It makes for surprisingly compelling viewing, especially when Clark is caught nodding off in the truck cab in the early hours.
Continuing the Prime Minister theme, last week I attended a stage production about Helen Clark, Jacinda’s predecessor, titled Helen Clark in Six Outfits. It was an exceptionally clever piece of theatre. Helen herself attended opening night and commented that it struck a fair balance in portraying both her life and leadership. Separately, we also went along to a theatre singalong—think karaoke on steroids—which was great fun. And another afternoon, we visited the Auckland Art Gallery, which was celebrating the 10th anniversary of its membership programme. Time was short, but we only managed to sit in on a talk about the Venice Biennale which was fascinating. There’s often a slightly sceptical view of the Biennale in New Zealand, as our contributions can be seen as expensive and somewhat “out there.” However, I learned that they are generally very well received in Venice. Having previously sold travel accommodation there, I was particularly interested to hear about the logistics involved—everything must be transported by boat, which adds an entirely different layer of complexity for curators. Next months we’ll be attending the French Film Festival and Auckland Writers Festival – big events on the arts calendar in New Zealand. Take care until next time
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