Joy House Productions is an entertainment based,
boutique company that founded the annual Joy House
Film Festival, The Wong Side of Life and Fairy Joy.
It also produces independent feature films: Get a Life, Alright,
Rhapsody of Love, The Script of Life, The Casting Game.
The company was first established in 2000.
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Joy Hopwood is a leader in the arts community with a background
in children’s television and education. Her work has been recognised
by The Australian, SMH, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times
newspapers and Film Ink & IF magazines.
*In 2012 PJ Madam from SBS World News interviewed Joy
about the importance of diversity on Australian screens.
Diversity is an integral part of Joy’s work and she’s a proud
founding member of the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance’s
Diversity committee & is currently N.S.W.’s elected representative.
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Joy started out as a presenter on A.B.C. T.V’s Play School
and has appeared as a guest on popular T.V. shows like:
Good News Week, Home and Away, A Country Practice,
G.P. Media Watch and many more.
Her autobiographical story has been included in Black Ink book’s,
Growing Up Asian in Australia, edited by Alice Pung, which is
part of the HSC curriculum and tertiary studies for universities
and schools, now in its eighth reprint edition. Pearson Education
then approached Joy to have her story included for the Pearson
9 series Reflecting on Life and so did Jessie St Library & C.H.A.A.
for Chinese Australian’s Women’s Stories (2012).
On March 25th, 2013, Joy wrote, produced and directed
The Wong Side of life, a theatre play at The Concourse
with profits going to The Cancer Council, which Joy’s a proud ambassador for.
The play received positive reviews which led to the Kindness is
For Free campaign, (an anti-racism and anti-bullying initiative)
in schools. This has been part of many annual Harmony Day events.
On September 14th, 2013, The Joy House Film Festival was launched.
This is a short film festival showcasing short films of “joy”
and celebrating diversity. It’s the only short film festival in Australia,
supported by Actors Equity and the Media Entertainment Alliance
(Diversity Committee) and gives prizes for best film,
best Diversity film and also best Female Filmmaker award.
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In 2009 & 2013, Joy’s philanthropy and community work was
recognised for the prestigious Australian of the Year Awards.
Joy was presented with an award by Ita Buttrose and then
Treasurer Joe Hockey M.P for a community award.
Joe Hockey, Joy and Ita Buttrose (Community Awards)
Get a Life, Alright is Joy’s 4th feature film which won Hong Kong International Independent film festival’s best drama award in Dec 2021 and received an honourable mention at Santa Monica International Film Festival 2022. It has been selected for the Australian High Commission’s International Film Festival set for March – April 2022 (Singapore) & Abbey Film Festival (London). It’s theatrical release will be through Dendy cinemas (Australia wide) in 2022. “Everyone is searching for their lucky break.” A film that champions female relationships and diversity.
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“Making a difference in people’s lives is an ongoing goal of mine with diversity at the forefront, creating work with life messages, whether it be in film, literature, theatre or the visual arts. I’ll always continue doing creative work in hope for social change – for a better, kinder community.”
(Joy Hopwood)
