FILM AUSTRALIA COMMISSIONS ‘WILDNESS’ AND
ANNOUNCES ‘AUSTRALIAN BIOGRAPHY ONLINE’
One of Australia’s most significant television and archival projects, Film
Australia’s long-running Australian Biography series, is to be made available
online at a website hosted by the National Library of Australia.
Film Australia also today announced the commissioning of a new
documentary, Wildness, which will screen on ABC Television.
In the first stage of the Australian Biography Online project, interviews from
the series will be online by July 2003.
“Film Australia’s Australian Biography, over eight series, has extensive
interviews with 55 Australians from all walks of life who have each made a
remarkable contribution to their country. As a collection, they provide a
unique and valuable perspective on Australian life. For these programs to
now be available online, adding to the National Library’s collection, is a
wonderful resource for all Australians,” said Sharon Connolly, Chief Executive
of Film Australia
“And Wildness, a one-hour program just approved by Film Australia’s Board,
will also profile the work of two remarkable Australians who’ve made powerful
contributions to our heritage,” she says.
Wildness examines the legacy of Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis,
two of Australia’s greatest wilderness photographers, whose work is
synonymous with campaigns to protect Tasmania's natural heritage. Their
lives had many amazing parallels; both died in the wilderness, doing what
they loved, and both left extraordinary legacies in their beautiful images. To
be produced with the assistance of Film Victoria and the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation, the documentary will be made by Melbourne-based
producer, Michael McMahon, and Tasmanian director, Scott Millwood.
-2Australian Biography Online will be produced by Ron Saunders, initiating
executive producer of the original project, with producer/director of the
Australian Biography series, Robin Hughes, acting as script and program
consultant.
Film Australia is a Federal Government-owned company which supports
production and distribution of documentaries in the national interest.
Media enquiries:
Tracey Mair
TM Publicity
For Film Australia
Ph: 0419 2221 493