Ben deHoedt
Directing
Biography
Ben deHoedt began documentary film making in recent years alongside his career as a youth mental health clinician in Melbourne. The balancing act of working with young people and families at a crossroads in their lives - and engaging in the creation of film and music in his "civilian" life - brings forth meaning and purpose which is evident in both sides of Ben's work. Ben's forthcoming film DISAPPEAR HERE is about the 1990's music scene across Sydney and Melbourne, with a focus on William Arthur and his band, Glide. The narrative will be formed by interviews with surviving band members as well as Aussie music industry luminaries including Tim Rogers (You Am I), Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss), Peter Fenton (Crow) and Jane Gazzo (ABC's Recovery and Triple J).
Known For
Bluebottle Kiss were formed in Sydney in 1993, a turbulent time in the Australian independent music scene. They sound only like themselves: A strikingly volatile unit bringing forth sweetness and ferocity, conjuring tales of personal vulnerability and a kind of warped Australiana. After releasing multiple albums and EPs, they parted ways in 2007. In 2022, the ‘Revenge is Slow’ (2002) line-up of Bluebottle Kiss announced a run of 5 reunion shows across Australia. These were astonishing performances, transcending the entire concept of reformation. Film maker Ben deHoedt shot the band’s hometown gig in Sydney, resulting in the film (and accompanying live album) Bluebottle Kiss: Never Leave Town – Live in Sydney. Made on the fly with minimal equipment, this unadorned yet cinematic live document captures the rich hues, rough edges, vulnerability and vitality of Bluebottle Kiss as they perform some of their most accomplished material to a packed house over a 90 minute set.
Bluebottle Kiss: Never Leave Town - Live in Sydney
The vexed question of how to live an artistic life is illustrated in DISAPPEAR HERE, the story of Australian 90's alternative group Glide and founding songwriter William Arthur - in an atmospheric, texturally rich exploration of thwarted ambition in the independent music scene of 1990's Sydney. This extraordinary artist and the shifting sands of the music industry are revisited by band members as well as Aussie music industry luminaries including Tim Rogers (You Am I), Jamie Hutchings (Bluebottle Kiss), Peter Fenton (Crow) and Jane Gazzo (ABC's Recovery and Triple J). DISAPPEAR HERE is a completely independent production which was directed, shot, edited and written by Ben deHoedt.