Magic : Miriam Margolyes & Barry Humphries

It's usually a political grab fest with a variety of politicians going head to head: ABC TVs Q&A.

Tonight it was pure cabaret with a Barry Humphries and Miriam Margolyes dominating a panel that consisted of host Tony Jones and fellow panelists, former politician John Hewson, Oscar nominee Jackie Weaver and journalist David Marr.
Miriam spoke of her lesbianism, her anti-Zionism, her Canberra born partner and her wish to take out Australian citizenship.(she knows Don Bradman's batting average in anticipation of the citizenship test).
There are still tickets available for her Dickens' Women show at the Sydney Opera House this Thursday and after watching her performance as Ruth Pinch from Dicken's Martin Chuzzlewit at the end of Q&A , it's a must see.

Q&A can be watched now on the ABC Q&A website.

## In 1991 David Marr published his best selling biography of Australia's Nobel Prize winning author Patrick White. Today is the 100th year anniversary since White was born in Knighstbridge in London in 1912. He emigrated with his parents to Australia when he was 6 months old, living in a Sydney flat with servants and a nanny while his parents lived in the next door apartment.

This Sunday ABC TV screens In The Eye Of The Storm. Fred Schepisi's adaption of White's 1973 book of the same name. The film stars Charlotte Rampling, Judy Davis and Geoffrey Rush. Not to be missed.

More Honours for Nobel Winner Patrick White

Patrick White

Charlotte Rampling

The Australian film, The Eye of the Storm directed by Fred Schepisi has won the special jury prize at the Rome International Film Festival, alongside the French film See How They Dance by Claude Miller, the first time 2 movies have been awarded a joint prize.

The Eye Of The Storm stars Geoffrey Rush, Charlotte Rampling and Judy Davis ( who according to Woody Allen is "the best actress in the world") and is based on the book by Australian writer Patrick White, the first time any of his 12 novels has made it to screen and the one which so impressed a Swedish judging panel they awarded him the Nobel Prize for Literature

Aussie Films Open Toronto Film Festival

Geoffrey Rush in Eye Of The Storm ( at Luna Park)

Three Australian made films have been included in the Toronto Film Festival including Eye Of The Storm directed by Fred Schepisi starring Geoffrey Rush, Burning Man by Jonathan Teplitzky and Daniel Nettheim's The Hunter.

Charlotte Rampling, Judy Davis & Geoffrey Rush in Eye Of The Storm

Eye Of The Storm also stars Charlotte Rampling and Judy Davis (the best actress on the planet according to Woody Allen) and is based on the novel by Nobel Prize winner Patrick White.

The Hunter with Willem Dafoe, Frances O'Connor and Sam Neill (spotted by the Shuttle today buying cigars in Double Bay)  has been adapted from the book Sleeping Beauty and is directed by Julia Lei.
The Toronto Film Festival runs from September 8th to the18th.