Gillian Armstrong & The Adelaide Three: 50 Years Later In A Longitudinal Series
Antenna is proud to present a special retrospective celebrating one of Australia’s most extraordinary documentary achievements. In 1976, Gillian Armstrong met three spirited Adelaide teenagers — Kerry, Josie and Diana. That first meeting marked the beginning of a landmark longitudinal project that would span more than three decades and five films. Often described as the Australian 7Up, the series offers an intimate, unfiltered look at the girls’ lives as they grow, change and confront the world around them.
This rare screening event revisits three of the most defining chapters in the series:
- Smokes & Lollies (1976, 25 mins)
Armstrong’s first encounter with the girls, then just 13 and 14, candidly discussing their hopes, fears and expectations around love, sex, school, motherhood and the future. - Bingo, Bridesmaids & Braces (1988, 90 mins)
At 26, the young women navigate the realities of adulthood — relationships, children, work, and the compromises and courage that shape their lives. - Love, Lust & Lies (2009, 87 mins)
Returning after a 14-year gap, Armstrong finds the women at 47, reflecting on choices made, paths taken and the hard-won joys and heartbreaks of middle age.
Spanning 34 years in the lives of the Adelaide ‘girls’, these films form an extraordinary portrait of three “ordinary but extraordinary” women. Their openness, humour and resilience — combined with Armstrong’s deeply personal, long-term relationship with them — create a rare depth and intimacy. More than just a chronicle, this series stands as a moving exploration of class, gender, opportunity and desire, and of the enduring connection between filmmaker and subject.
One ticket provides access to the full retrospective. A short break will take place between Bingo, Bridesmaids & Braces and Love, Lust & Lies. The screenings will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker Gillian Armstrong, joined by Kerry and Josie, along with additional guests from the Adelaide family.