Beautiful gesture by Rachel Ward

FILM star Rachel Ward will use her latest movie, Beautiful Kate , to help raise funds for the local Kids in Community Awards.

FILM star Rachel Ward will use her latest movie, Beautiful Kate, to help raise funds for the local Kids in Community Awards.

Described as dark, daring and confronting, the British-born actor/director's new movie is 'not for the faint-hearted'.

The international film star has received rave reviews for her first role as writer/director in Beautiful Kate, which follows a family's struggle to deal with domestic troubles of the past in the face of their terminally ill father.

Ms Ward hopes those reviews translate into big donor dollars when the film is screened at the Ballina Fair Cinemas as part of a Kids in Community Awards fundraising night on Thursday, November 5.

No stranger to the region, Ms Ward first came to Lismore as part of a program to connect disadvantaged people with the community through art, and five years on is still supporting local groups.

“I had a relationship with Lismore and became involved in people's lives,” she said.

“I am mainly an advocate of mentoring and I think there is an enormous need for mentors, and Kids in Community is all about that.”

Ms Ward described the film which is the centrepiece of the November 5 fundraiser as 'morally ambiguous'.

“ Beautiful Kate is about a father and son and their family who all have made human mistakes that have led to redemption,” she said.

“It is a fantastic film where the actors have really responded to the psychological truths in the movie and have been able to sink their teeth into it.”

Light refreshments are included in the $12 ticket price, with all proceeds going to the 2010 Kids in Community Awards night.

For information on ticket sales please call Maria Kelly on 6624 4053.

Originally published as Beautiful gesture by Rachel Ward