| Clean | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Lachlan Mcleod |
| Written by | Lachlan Mcleod |
| Produced by | David Elliot-Jones, Charlotte Wheaton |
| Starring | Sandra Pankhurst |
| Edited by | Louis Dai |
| Music by | Patrick Grigg |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Rocket Science |
Release date |
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| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Clean is an Australian 2022 documentary film about the life of Sandra Pankhurst, a transgender woman who became best known for her work as a crime scene and trauma cleaner. The film centres on Pankhurst's journey from a difficult upbringing—which included adoption and an eventual teenage eviction—to her marriage and experiences with gender identity.
The film follows Pankhurst's early struggles with the eventual establishment of Specialist Trauma Cleaning Services, which has a team of cleaners who clean crime scenes, places where people have committed suicide, and incidents of hoarding. Pankhurst attends and leads jobs with her team while sharing her experiences and challenges of the industry as well as showcasing the nature of her profession. As the film progresses, Pankhurst's health declines, possibly due to extended exposure to cleaning substances. Nevertheless, she continues with her work and actively participates in public speaking engagements.
The cast includes Pankhurst, who plays herself, and her employees. The film was produced by David Elliot-Jones and Charlotte Wheaton of Walking Fish Productions and directed by Lachlan Mcleod who had been inspired by Pankhurst's story after seeing her on television.
Clean was released in 2022. The film was screened at the Melbourne International Film Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It was nominated for two awards at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards in 2022. Audiences and critics received Clean well.