Centrepoint: A Spiritual Growth Community

Founded in 1977 by ex-vacuum salesman Bert Potter, Centrepoint was an alternative lifestyle settlement that promoted intimate communal living, along with personal and sexual freedom. This documentary observes members' struggles to reconcile the values of their new home with the outside world. In the second clip, a woman gives birth as Centrepoint members provide support. Director Geoff Steven threatened to take his name off the credits, in a successful bid to avoid the cutting of emotional scenes of 'encounter group' style psychotherapy. Potter and others were later convicted for a spate of child sex abuse and drugs charges. 

It forced people to make their own decisions about the subject. I judged it as a success as the commune members told me that it captured the special atmosphere of the “loving community” and others said that it showed the place for what it was and exposed the manipulation of Bert Potter.

– Director Geoff Steven on the film’s reception

Key Cast & Crew

Geoff Steven

Director, Writer

D.O.C. Williams

Producer

Julienne Stretton

Writer

Bil Henderson

Editor

Bert Potter

Subject

Brendan Ojala

Sound