Wayne

Director Jeremy Sims comes from a background of narrative feature film-making, with a strong understanding of dramatic structure. All of Sims's films have featured leading men going through a transformative narrative and this story fits that template surprisingly well. Sims is guided by the principle of detailed, truthful, emotional storytelling. He tells the story from the words of those who can tell it, using archival footage to build that allegorical framework around the protagonist’s journey. Thus, the revelation that Australia ‘the nation’ revealed a new identity during the period that Wayne Gardner fulfilled his private personal destiny should resonate. The story itself is loosely based around the material in Nick Hartgerink’s fond biography, The Wayne Gardner Story, and upon several short docs made for television in the 80’s and 90’s. Sims spent considerable time with Wayne, and his son Remy, getting to know him and his competitive personality.

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Following an extensive period of research, he travelled the globe interviewing Wayne’s competitors, friends, family and enemies, trying to get a rounded picture of the man. Of course, the most vital perspective comes from his former partner and inspiration, Donna Kahlbetzer. Donna provides the insights that allow the film to go deeply into the psyche of a racer, an Aussie bloke, and fragile human being.