Watch Maria Angelico perform an excerpt from Katherine Brabon’s Body Friend, shortlisted for the 2024 Stella Prize.
About the book: A woman leaves the hospital after an operation and starts swimming in a pool in Melbourne’s inner suburbs. There she meets Frida, who is uncannily like her in her experience of illness. Soon after, she meets another woman in a local park, Sylvia, who sees her pain and encourages her to rest. The two new friends seem to be polar opposites: Frida adores the pool and the natural world, Sylvia clings to the protection of interior worlds. What begins as two seemingly simple friendships is challenged by what each woman asks of her, of themselves, and their bodies.
Filmed and edited by Samantha Meuleman (‪@samantha_meuleman‬)
Produced by Fiona Sweet and Claudia Nankervis
Make up: Annie Rose Foretti for MECCA M-POWER
With thanks to búl and Memo Music Hall
About Maria Angelico: Maria is an award-winning actor, writer and artist based in Australia. She works extensively on screen, most notably in Netflix’s series Sisters; Binge original Strife, ABC’s The Newsreader; Netflix’s Stateless, ABC’s Retrograde, Blizzards’ World of Warcraft and in her recent debut one woman show, The Disappearing Act at the Malthouse Theatre for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2022. Maria recently wrapped filming feature film Birthright.
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