On Beamafilm: Paul Kelly: Stories of Me

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Paul Kelly, was born in 1955, the sixth of nine children. His family had a long connection with music: his grandparents were opera singers; and his mother sang a different song for each of her children, a song that became “theirs”. Darling’s documentary traces Paul Kelly’s musical progression and inspiration from these childhood experiences, through the different styles and phases he went through as a singer/songwriter. The audience learns a lot about the lyrics of Kelly’s songs, which tell such evocative stories of people and places. We learn about the songs that are almost autobiographical; the songs about the many types of love; and the songs about change, place and social justice. The experiences of a rich life, distilled into poetry and music. Interviews with Paul’s family, friends and band members build up a picture of the man and his inspiration. Paul Kelly himself is also interviewed, but his own responses to questions are more enigmatic. The way the audience can see and understand him is framed through the impressions of those around Paul Kelly, not his descriptions of himself. Because of that, even in this most intimate portrait, he remains an enigma. How much do any of the people around him really know about him? The soundtrack is saturated with his songs, linking together the interviews and the archival footage into a cohesive and delicious whole. “Paul Kelly: Stories of Me” is a delight for music lovers, but will also fascinate lovers of well-made biographies. Watch 'Paul Kelly: Stories of Me' on Beamafilm now!