An 80-year-old pensioner has been left homeless after a council condemned her home — a property she claims never recovered from being used as a set for an iconic Australian film.
Queenslander Yvonne Dean was a struggling single mother during the late 1990s.
Movie producers offered to restore her rundown Brisbane house in exchange for using it as the set for He Died with a Felafel in His Hand.
Ms Dean believed the deal was the answer to her financial pressures.
“The agreement was that ‘we’ll look after you, we’ll provide you accommodation, we’ll restore your home. It’ll be a lot better than what you have now, Yvonne,’” Ms Dean told A Current Affair.
Instead, she claims the production turned her Annerley property into a long-term structural disaster.
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Yvonne Dean. Picture: A Current Affair
The 80-year-old pensioner has been left homeless after the council condemned her home. Picture: A Current Affair
The film followed Danny, played by Aussie actor Noah Taylor, as he battled his way through a string of sharehouse nightmares.
To capture the script’s wildest moments, the crew subjected the house to extreme physical stunts.
“They came with a chainsaw and cut a big hole in the roof,” Ms Dean said.
“They used the kitchen sink for a scene in the movie where they had a fire in the sink.”
In one of the film’s climactic scenes, the whole back of the house drops off on cue.
While Ms Dean acknowledged the production company patched up the damage after filming wrapped, she claimed over time the house had fallen into further disrepair.
“It leaks, and the chamferboard inside on the ceiling doesn’t stay there,” she said.
“It’s just one big hole where a big snake crawls through.”
The crew subjected the house to extreme physical stunts. Picture: A Current Affair
The kitchen had a fire in the sink. Picture: A Current Affair
The Brisbane City Council has now officially condemned the crumbling wreck, deeming it too dangerous to live in.
Unable to afford to keep the house or rent somewhere else, the 80-year-old is relying on local residents for a place to sleep.
“I’ve had a few good neighbours that have offered me a room, so I sort of move around like a musical chair,” Ms Dean said.
Neighbours confirmed the property is now past the point of repairs, leaving the pensioner stranded without options.
The production company behind the cult classic has long since shut down, but the film’s former producers have hit back at the allegations.
They claim the house was restored to a better condition than when they found it, noting they had never received a single complaint until now.
The council has now officially condemned the crumbling wreck, deeming it too dangerous to live in. Picture: A Current Affair
Producers argued that 27 years of wear and tear is the most likely explanation as to why the house is not in good condition.
Brisbane City Council confirmed to A Current Affair its officers acted following complaints from nearby residents.
“After receiving contact from nearby residents we went to investigate the property and shared our concerns with the residents about the dangerous condition of the building,” a council statement said.
“The engineer’s report is currently under review.”
Engineers have reportedly concluded the home cannot be salvaged.
While the council offered to connect Ms Dean with community services to find a safe place to live, she said she only wanted her old life back.
“At the end of all this, I would really just like to have my home back,” she said. “And have peace.”
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