In the vein of Strictly Ballroom, Muriel’s Wedding, and more recently, The Sapphires, comes another Australian musical comedy, Seriously Red, about a redhead realtor who turns her life around when she achieves her dream of becoming a Dolly Parton impersonator.

Directed by Gracie Otto (Under the Volcano), the film, which premiered at the recent Brisbane International Film Festival on October 27, was written by Krew Boylan who takes on the leading role as Raylene ‘Red,’ Delaney. A woman who inadvertently discovers her second career while attending a work event she mistakenly thought was a costume party. On dressing up as her idol, Dolly Parton. Stuffing her bra, donning a bouffant blonde wig and wearing an orange jumpsuit, Red finally finds the confidence she’s been lacking through channeling the country music star.

Red is in her element in her newfound world of rubbing shoulders with fellow celebrity impersonators. She performs alongside the likes of Elton John, Freddie Mercury, and enjoys a special relationship with ‘Kenny Rogers’, played by Daniel Webber (The Dirty, Escape From Pretoria), who takes his method acting a little too seriously. An unrecognizable two-time Golden Globe-winner Rose Byrne bravely takes on the role of Elvis (as well as executive producer duties). And the actress’ offscreen longtime partner, Primetime Emmy award-winner Bobby Cannavale, plays a former Neil Diamond tribute act who runs the agency of impersonators.

Following the gala screening, some of the actors assembled on stage for a Q and A. Although the film is an ensemble, it’s Red’s journey. Boylan talked about the movie’s origin story. “Well, I was doing a play and I was gigging to try and get another job because you’re always worried about where you’re going to make money next,” she says. “I didn’t feel as though I was particularly successful, and I thought about my dad who always championed all his daughters to ‘Go out there, be successful, do what you want to do. I started writing to figure out what success was and what success meant to me. I very quickly realized that to me success meant Dolly Parton. And so, I set that benchmark for myself. So, the genesis of the film was that I was trying to figure out how to be successful.”

The cast is rounded out by comedienne Celeste Barber, actors Todd Lasance (Without Remorse) and Thomas Campbell (Love and Monsters). Webber recalls his first read-through of the script realizing he would be playing the role of Kenny Rogers. “My first thought was terror. I thought the script was so much fun, but I didn’t think I was right for it. I thought, ‘Someone’s going to have a wonderful time in this film because I’m not even close to Kenny Rogers.’ And then it was a process of being convinced. “I had a lot of trepidation but finally I was, like, ‘Fine”. They had three weeks of prep, so it was, ‘Here’s six Kenny Rogers songs. Learn it, look like Kenny, act like Kenny!”

Campbell, who plays Red’s best friend Francis who must support her in her unusual career choice, says, “It was really about friendship and how to navigate that when someone’s losing their mind in a sense and losing who you became friends with in the first place. So that’s how I connected with it. The film is ultimately about friendship and [themes of] losing a sense of who you are and finding a way back to who you are. I think that is what the film is ultimately about.”

A fitting finale to the Q and A, Ms. Parton herself appears via Zoom in all her glory, effusive as ever.  “Well, howdy, you gorgeous bunch! This film is to celebrate what it means to find yourself. It’s such a joy.” A ringing endorsement from Parton herself that speaks volumes.

The feel-good comedy is a much-needed antidote to Australia’s strict Covid restrictions. “This movie was made coming out of the pandemic,” Webber adds. “This is something that I think the world needs, that people need, that I need. We want to come out of the cinema smiling.”