but also John Clarke

When satirist John Clarke died in 2017, the world mourned an icon. A defining comedic voice for over forty years, Clarke gave away very little about his own life. At home, by contrast, he was an open book. In a remarkable series of recorded conversations, John and his daughter (writer/director Lorin Clarke) trace his steadfast resistance to authority back to his childhood, delve into his early career forging a career in New Zealand, and offer delightful insights into his four decades in the entertainment industry.

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Perhaps the defining satirical voice in Australia and New Zealand, John Clarke famously gave away very little about his own life. At home, by contrast, he was an open book. Through a remarkable series of re- corded conversations between John and his daughter, writer/director Lorin Clarke, we trace his steadfast resistance to authority back to his childhood; unpack his controversial decision to leave New Zealand for Australia in 1977; and gain delightful insights into his forty years in the entertainment industry. Weaving together personal anecdotes, a rich television archive, tales from international comedy greats and the riches from more than 200 boxes of his work and letters, this film is a daughter gifting her father back to the audience.