As if the incentive of a night at the movies right here in town isn’t enough, locals can claim bragging rights with the newest showing at The Arts Centre ‘Unbroken’ featuring Cootamundra’s Gina Halbisch as an extra in the film.
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Unbroken, directed by Angelia Jolie, was filmed in Werris Creek. NSW a little south of Tamworth although the stunning King George Avenue in Tamworth was used to its full potential in the film with it’s incredible tree-lined landscape.
The story line goes that after a near-fatal plane crash in WWII, Olympian Louis Zamperini spends a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before he's caught by the Japanese navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.
Gina’s experience with the film is one she won’t forget in a hurry.
“There I was lucky enough to get a gig on a big budget movie as an extra,” Gina said about the experience.
“I wore my own stockings but true to the era mine were too shiny so I was handed a pair of pantyhose which were a better colour!”
“Mind you my dress was so long you barely see them but I LOVE the attention to detail.
“It is a pity I am not quite so attentive. I get dressed in a dark corner of the makeshift campus. Present for inspection and pass. Awaiting the moment when I am called, I am aware of a slight discomfort in the pantyhose "area".
“Sitting on the grass in the shade of a tree I look down and see for the FIRST time that I was handed seamed pantyhose to put on and I notice then that my seams are slightly skew whiff.
“I sit on the grass and straighten them as best I can.
“Throughout the several visits to the ladies room I also try and get those blasted seams to run up the back of my legs arghhh IMPOSSIBLE!!! How did they do it in the 1920's??
“Finally I make a visit to the little girl's room quite late in the day at this point I discover that for the entire day I have been wearing the said stockings back to front!
“The seams were running beautifully up the front of my legs. By that time I was so tired I didn't give a rats...so that is the way they stayed for the entire shoot! Talk about doing things the hard way!”
So there stood our Gina, chatting to Angelina Jolie with her stockings on backwards! She must have done something right as pics of her and Angela chatting ended up in People magazine. Certainly something to be proud of.
As for the movie itself, Gina describes it as “very moving” and strongly themed.
“It is an emotional journey like no other and a great exhibition of humanity,” Gina said.
Unbroken will be shown next Wednesday, August 5 at either 10.30am or 7pm, as well as next Sunday, August 9 at 5pm.
Admission is $12 with people asked to be seated five minutes early.