We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.
Play

00:00

/

00:00

Full screen
Video quality

Low 0 MB

High 0 MB

HD 0 MB

Captions
Volume
Volume
Hero image for Lovely Rita

Lovely Rita

Television (Full Length) – 2007

She was a very honest person about herself ... She wasn't afraid to paint herself as she really is — warts and all.
– Photographer Marti Friedlander on Rita Angus, near the end of this documentary
She was an amazing woman. And very very tiresome sometimes.
– Pauline Angus, Rita Angus's sister-in-law, describes Rita, at the start of this documentary
...she went through this period of feeling she had to be deprived of something: whether it was sleep, or food, or peoples' company, to get into the right — well I would call it mood — for what she was planning to do, as far as her art was concerned.
– Pauline Angus, Rita Angus's sister-in-law, talks about Rita
I haven't any desire for success or the limelight, and no further wish to explain myself. Neither do I wish to play, any more than I can help, a part in the world of petty tyranny, greed and murder, and war ... My pacifism and my paintings are now closely linked.
– Rita Angus, in one of her letters to composer Douglas Lilburn
...she had a courage and an integrity and, in an almost nun-like way, that did passionately commit her to her visual intelligence.
– Artist Jacqueline Fahey reflects on Rita Angus
She was known to be a person who would pursue her own little projects, to the exclusion of everything else — she had tremendous focus.
– Jill Trevelyan, biographer of Rita Angus, describes her ability to focus
We live our separate lives for our respective arts. But I miss quarrelling with you. Quarrelling has been an important part of our relationship, as composer and painter, and I should like to come to quarrel again sometime, if it's possible.
– Rita Angus, in one of her letters to composer Douglas Lilburn
I live alone to work ... My friends are very few now, but more quality. Friends, family and works of art are the only reasons why I live.
– Rita Angus
One of the things that really struck me was the fact that Douglas [Lilburn] had kept these letters. And not just kept these letters, but annotated them. Some of these letters he'd write on it 'biographical letter — very important'.
– Jill Trevelyan, author of book Rita Angus - An Artist's Life
She didn't like selling her paintings ... you had to get her to meet the would-be buyer and they'd talk about things...
– Former art gallery owner Elva Bett on Rita leaving 600 unsold works in her home when she died
[The] opening section of Lovely Rita beautifully encapsulates the notion of the quintessential New Zealand artist being a grassroots character, at one with ordinary people.
– Writer Russell Campbell in his 2011 book Observations: Studies in New Zealand Documentary, page 155
...the life that Rita chose, to be a full-time artist and to be a woman who lived alone for the sake of being a full-time artist, there was really no precedent for that at all.
– Composer Jack Body
Gaylene Preston's documentary on artist Rita Angus hits all the right notes: informative, visually compelling, humorous and touching ... A lively look at one of our cultural icons.
– Angela Walker in a four star review, The Sunday-Star Times, 14 October 2007
More than 300 letters from Rita to Douglas were in his possession when he died recently and these form a moving and sometimes startling personal commentary from the artist herself which illuminates a lifetime of painting.
– Press release for Lovely Rita, The Big Idea website, 16 November 2007

If you liked this, you might also like...

Collection
Collection image for The Sam Neill Collection

The Sam Neill Collection

Actor, director, makes the odd bottle of pinot noir: a...

Collection
Collection image for Christchurch

Christchurch

As a showcase history of Christchurch onscreen this...

Collection
Collection image for The Gaylene Preston Collection

The Gaylene Preston Collection

A collection full of riches, devoted to the work of Dame...

Thumbnail image for Kaleidoscope - Rita Angus

Kaleidoscope - Rita Angus

Earlier documentary on Rita Angus

Thumbnail image for Eagle vs Shark

Eagle vs Shark

Actor Loren Taylor also featured in this movie

Thumbnail image for Kaleidoscope - Grahame Sydney

Kaleidoscope - Grahame Sydney

Artist Grahame Sydney also features in this documentary

Thumbnail image for The Big Art Trip - Series Two, Episode Two

The Big Art Trip - Series Two, Episode Two

Artist Jacqueline Fahey is also interviewed in this

Thumbnail image for Marti: The Passionate Eye

Marti: The Passionate Eye

More of photographer Marti Friedlander

Thumbnail image for Bread and Roses

Bread and Roses

Another Gaylene Preston film about a noteworthy NZ woman

Thumbnail image for Hone Tuwhare

Hone Tuwhare

Another arts documentary directed by Gaylene Preston

Thumbnail image for Kaleidoscope - Theo Schoon

Kaleidoscope - Theo Schoon

Theo Schoon was a friend of Rita Angus

Thumbnail image for Kaleidoscope - Frances Hodgkins

Kaleidoscope - Frances Hodgkins

A profile of another female painter

Thumbnail image for Edith Collier: A Light Among Shadows

Edith Collier: A Light Among Shadows

Another woman artist

Thumbnail image for For Art's Sake - Grahame Sydney

For Art's Sake - Grahame Sydney

Profile of painter Grahame Sydney

Thumbnail image for Reflections - Gretchen Albrecht

Reflections - Gretchen Albrecht

Documentary about artist Gretchen Albrecht

Thumbnail image for Madame Morison

Madame Morison

Another woman artist

Thumbnail image for Flip & Two Twisters

Flip & Two Twisters

Documentary about artist Len Lye

Thumbnail image for Being Billy Apple

Being Billy Apple

A film about contemporary artist Billy Apple

Thumbnail image for War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us

War Stories Our Mothers Never Told Us

Also directed by Gaylene Preston

Thumbnail image for Gottfried Lindauer in New Zealand

Gottfried Lindauer in New Zealand

Documentary on an earlier NZ portrait painter

Thumbnail image for Hotere

Hotere

A film about artist Ralph Hotere

Thumbnail image for The Sound of Seeing

The Sound of Seeing

Art film involving a painter

Thumbnail image for The Model

The Model

Short drama about an artist and his model

Thumbnail image for A Portrait of Michael Smither

A Portrait of Michael Smither

Documentary about painter Michael Smither

Thumbnail image for Behind the Brush - First Episode

Behind the Brush - First Episode

Documentary on another important artist in NZ

Thumbnail image for Barefoot Cinema - The Life and Art of Cinematographer Alun Bollinger

Barefoot Cinema - The Life and Art of Cinematographer Alun Bollinger

Watch the making of this film, 61 minutes in