BAFTA-winning documentarian and softly spoken British national treasure Louis Theroux has once again captured the hearts of critics and Centrelink staff alike with his latest project, “Bendigo: Eshays Without Limits.”
The film, which was shot over four days in the backstreets of Bendigo and the railway station carpark, offers a raw glimpse into the world of the Eshay.
“I wanted to understand the culture,” Theroux whispers to the camera, standing nervously beside a shirtless 15-year-old named Braydun with a hood life tattoo and a mullet that predates puberty.
The film’s most powerful moment comes when Louis shares a can of Monster with a group outside the Bendigo Marketplace and reflects on the complex emotional world of a young man wearing a bum bag but never owning a belt.
“They told me I was ‘sus’ and tried to get me to wear a bum bag. I was fascinated.”
Local reaction to the documentary has been mixed. Many Bendigo residents are proud of the attention, with one council member stating, “This is the most press we’ve had since the Mosque protests.”
Theroux himself remains humble: “I just want to tell stories. Even if I must learn what ‘rack off ya dog’ means the hard way.”
Reviews:
“It’s like The Wire, but with more scooters,” says The Age.
“Louis Theroux makes an emotional breakthrough when he gets ‘king hit’ at the Marketplace and still thanks them for their honesty,” wrote The Guardian.
