PUNK and proud St Ann's Chapel woman Viva Hamnell is to be the focus of a film made by an award-winning documentary maker.

Viva does not let her 82 years affect her verve for life and ability to shock and her colourful life will now be the subject of 'Viva' directed by Ashburton-based Amanda Bluglass.

Vivacious Viva is long associated as a singer in with Cornwall's own punk band, The Bricks, as well as being one of the founders of the Elephant Fayre music festival.

The six minute film about her is due to be seen on Channel Four but the filmmakers are hoping that a 12 minute version will be developed, to be entered into international festivals.

Of course, no self respected punk would be without a police conviction and in the 1970s Viva was charged with cannabis possession.

She amusingly explained to the crown court in Plymouth that she thought the plants she was growing were tomatoes, which she used to feed her goat!

In the the film Viva recounts her 30 years of working at Glastonbury festival and helping to set up Elephant Fayre.

Viva say: 'I've always lived life as it comes. To me it's just my life history but there have been so many people along the way, and the punk era in particular brought something alive in me.

'Working with Amanda and Danny Cooke (the cinematographer and editor) has been great fun and whilst I'm nervous about seeing myself on the screen, if it gives other people pleasure, and brings back some interesting memories, then that's great.'

The production team spent five hours at her home in St Ann's Chapel and did more filming at Glastonbury festival.

Viva started telling her story recently via her 'Beer Crate Moment', a touring performance piece created by her friend Jane Spurr.

Bedecked in a burnished bronze evening gown and tiara, Viva invites people among her audience to pick a 'story' from her favourite Vivienne Westwood handbag and proceeds to regale them with a personal tale of that chosen topic.

Her sparkling wit mixed with her candour transports her listeners into the tales of her extraordinary life — from the Blitz in London to the heady days of The Bricks; from courtrooms to the comfort of a Cornish Rayburn; and from Glastonbury to Gladys — her recent tattoo!

Film director Amanda said: 'I met Viva at the festival in Port Eliot. A friend told me about Viva and the minute I met her I just knew this film had to happen.

'Hers is an incredible story that just had to be told. We've followed Viva from her farmhouse to Glastonbury, re-living her years of leading a punk band at night while working as a lollipop lady in Callington during the day.

'Viva is still a party animal, a remarkable woman who still looks amazing.

'I knew as soon as I saw her she was the one I wanted to film.'

Amanda has created a crowdfunding platform, which ends on October 13 at http://www.sponsume.com/project/viva">www.sponsume.com/project/viva to raise money needed to buy 1970s footage from the BBC and enter the film into festivals around the globe.