Screen Australia announces investment in 20 documentaries
Tuesday 27 July 2010: Screen Australia today announced an investment of $4.5 million in
20 documentaries. The investment will trigger production worth over $15 million.
The documentaries approved in the July funding round include Wide Open Road, an
Australian social history of the 20th century – viewed through the windscreen of the cars that
we so cherished. The documentary by Paul Clarke will be produced through Screen
Australia’s National Documentary Program.
Fifteen domestic documentaries were approved for investment including Sex: An Unnatural
History, a six-part factual series hosted by Julia Zemiro that will explore the last 50 years of
Australia’s sexual landscape. The series will be executive produced by Penny Chapman,
produced by Michaela Perske and written by Mark O’Toole.
Executive producer Tony Ayres, producers Polly Staniford and Michael McMahon and
director Shannon Owen were funded to produce Miss South Sudan Australia, which follows
the precarious and erratic journey to pull together the premiere event for Australia’s
Sudanese community – the ‘Miss South Sudan Australia’ beauty pageant.
Also to be produced through the domestic documentary program is Cool School, a
documentary filmed almost entirely in Antarctica. Cool School explores sustainable
development and climate change in one of the places being most affected, and it shows the
transformative effect on a number of young people as they travel to the world’s largest and
most isolated wilderness. The documentary is produced, directed and written by Gregory
Miller and Liz Courtney.
Screen Australia announced support for four international documentaries including The
Secret History of the Eurovision Song Contest (p: Andrew Ogilvie, Andrea Quesnelle, w/d:
Stephen Oliver), The Grammar of Happiness (p: Chris Hilton, d: Randall Wood) and
Macquarie the Father of Australia (p: Stuart Scowcroft, Seona Robertson, d: Les Wilson).
The demands on the July round of the Domestic documentary program were high, with the
two public broadcasters and subscription television using close to their full allocation for the
financial year. As a result, Screen Australia has decided to pool its funds across both the
Domestic and International documentary programs and increase the allocation available to a
total of $7.5 million. For the 2010/11 financial year there will be two more funding rounds,
with around $1.8 million allocated to each. Visit the Screen Australia website for deadlines
and further information about documentary funding in 2010/11.
2/5
Documentary – National Documentary Program (NDP)
WIDE OPEN ROAD
Bombora Films and Music
Producer/Director Paul Clarke
Broadcaster ABC TV
Sales & Distribution ABC Commercial, Roadshow
Synopsis An Australian social history of the 20th century – viewed through the windscreen
of the cars that we so cherished.
Documentary – Domestic
ARTHOUSE
Paalma Pty Ltd
Producer/Writer Marian Bartsch
Director Britt Arthur
Broadcaster ABC
Sales & Distribution ABC Content Sales
Synopsis ArtHouse looks at the changing face of architecture, innovation and design in
Australia through the eyes of Melbourne-based husband and wife team, architect Robert
McBride and interior designer Debbie Ryan. Their outstanding architecture, which is
changing the skyline of Melbourne, has achieved the highest accolade winning the recent
2009 World Architecture Festival Awards for best residential house in the world for The Klein
Bottle House. A first for any Australian architectural team. This documentary follows a dayin-the-life of this stellar design team over a period of eight months, and the inspiration behind
their iconic works. This documentary will also aim to explore the need for innovation in the
Australian way of living as Robert and Debbie-Lyn build their own family home for their
growing family.
BREAKING: DANGEROUS!
No Roles For Sam Pty Ltd
Producer Emma Smith
Writers/Directors Daniel Mansour, Tim Ryan
Broadcaster MTV
Synopsis Follows the adventures of a band from Adelaide trying to get their big break. The
band’s sights are firmly set on building legions of fans both in Australia and the USA, as well
as scoring a record deal in the US: a dream virtually every young Aussie has had.
COOL SCHOOL
Angels Television Pty Ltd
Producers/Writers/Directors Gregory Miller and Liz Courtney
Broadcaster Nickelodeon, Australian Television, NHK
Sales & Distribution Off The Fence
Synopsis Filmed almost entirely in Antarctica. It is a chance to explore sustainable
development and climate change in one of the places being most affected, and it shows the
transformative effect on a number of young people as they travel to the world’s largest and
most isolated wilderness.
DICK SMITH’S POPULATION PUZZLE
Mitra Films Pty Ltd
Producer Anna Cater
Producer/Director Simon Nasht
Broadcaster ABC
Sales & Distribution Ovation
Synopsis The film follows Dick Smith’s public campaign against rapid population growth.
The polemical film tests the propositions put forward in favour of a Big Australia. Can this
popular entrepreneur persuade the nation to change its mind?
3/5
FOOTBALL UNITED
North One TV Australia
Producer Dan Goldberg
Executive Producer/Director Adam Kay
Broadcaster Bio Channel
Sales & Distribution Fox, North One
Synopsis Follows the inspirational story of one woman’s dream to use the world game to
help refugee children who’ve recently arrived in Australia integrate into their new society.
HARDLINERS
Cordell Jigsaw
Executive Producers Nick Murray and Michael Cordell
Producer Steve Bibb
Broadcaster Fox 8
Sales & Distribution DCD Rights, Cordell Jigsaw
Synopsis Larger-than-life Australian long-line tuna fishermen risking it all on a daily basis
are at the heart of the new documentary series, Hardliners.
I’M NOT DEAD YET
iKandy Films
Producer/Writer/Director Janine Hosking
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis The ‘unplugged’ chronicle of 76-year-old country music legend Chad Morgan. “I’ll
die on the stage or on the nest,” vows the controversial Chad as he packs his guitar, walking
stick and his wife’s Zimmer frame in the back of the car for his latest tour. This observational
documentary is an intimate portrait of a ‘one of a kind’ musician, playing out the final phase
of his career. At the heart of the narrative is an enduring love story – littered with dirty lyrics!
KULKA
Wonderland Film & Theatre Production Pty Ltd
Producer Kingston Anderson
Director Claire Haywood
Broadcaster NITV
Sales & Distribution Wonderland Productions
Synopsis About the life and times of Dr Gordon Briscoe (AO). It is a celebration of his
outstanding contribution as a campaigner for basic human rights for Indigenous Australians,
an activist, a motivator, a thinker, a researcher, author, teacher and mentor. Narrated by
Gordon’s son, Aaron Briscoe, it is the inspirational story of an institutionalised Aborigine,
interned in an ‘alien’ camp during World War II with very little education, who struggled
against the odds to achieve dignity and respect for himself and his people. The story of his
life reflects the struggles still facing many Indigenous communities today.
THE LAST WALTZ
Waterbyrd Filmz
Producer/Co-director Nickolas Bird
Co-director Eleanor Sharpe
Broadcaster ABC
Sales & Distribution Galloping Films
Synopsis Anny Salerni, the charismatic owner of Melbourne’s only gay and lesbian ballroom
dancing studio, has devoted the last 14 years of her life to creating her own fabulous world
of same-sex dancesports. Her students are not the most talented of dancers but they are
passionate about their sport and are driven by a dream of competing at the Gay Games in
Germany. As they prepare for the biggest event of their lives, Anny and her students must
battle injury, personal dramas and entrenched homophobia from the mainstream ballroom
dancing community and the world in general.
MISS SOUTH SUDAN AUSTRALIA
Matchbox Pictures Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Tony Ayres
4/5
Producers Polly Staniford and Michael McMahon
Director Shannon Owen
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis A joyful and exuberant half-hour documentary following the precarious and erratic
journey to pull together the premiere event for Australia’s Sudanese community – the ‘Miss
South Sudan Australia’ beauty pageant – and the lives of the organisers and the participants
post event.
MT (working title)
Evershine Pty Ltd
Producer Helen Barrow
Director Hugh Piper
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis An observational documentary about print journalism, freedom of speech and
publishing in South East Asia.
ON A WING AND A PRAYER
Sea Dog TV International Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Dione Gilmour
Producers Jodie De Barros and Leighton De Barros
Director Leighton De Barros
Co-director Sam Smith
Writers Leighton De Barros and Sam Smith
Broadcaster ABC
Sales & Distribution ABC Commercial
Synopsis Follows the incredible life cycle of the endangered Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo
through an engaging story of one small bird family as they fight for survival and the one man
who will do whatever it takes to protect them.
SEX: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY
Matchbox Pictures
Executive Producer Penny Chapman
Producer Michaela Perske
Writer Mark O’Toole
Broadcaster SBS
Sales & Distribution SBS Content Sales
Synopsis A six-part factual series hosted by Julia Zemiro that will explore the last 50 years
of Australia’s sexual landscape. A lively series using a blend of experts, philosophers,
academics and ordinary people that poses the big questions about sex in the modern day.
TWO ON THE GREAT DIVIDE
Cordell Jigsaw Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producers Nick Murray and Michael Cordell
Producer Toni Malone
Director Michael Cordell
Broadcaster ABC
Sales & Distribution ABC Commercial
Synopsis Tim Flannery and John Doyle undertake their third quixotic journey through the
Australian landscape, this time exploring The Great Dividing Range. To the east of the
Divide are abundant rivers, fertile land and ever-burgeoning population. To the west are
uncertainty, drought and vast tracts of ‘emptiness’. As Tim and John follow the range
northward they are undertaking more than a geographical journey, they are also exploring
the ‘great divides’ in Australian life. Arguments over water, population and nuclear power will
all feature, as well as more profound debates – like Holden vs Ford.
WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE 4
Artemis International Pty Ltd & Serendipity Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producer for Artemis Brian Beaton
Executive Producer for Serendipity Margie Bryant
5/5
Series Producer Celia Tait
Broadcaster SBS
Sales & Distribution SBS Content Sales
Synopsis Well-known Australians play detective as they go in search of their family history,
revealing secrets and surprises from the past.
Documentary – International
THE GRAMMAR OF HAPPINESS
Essential Media and Entertainment
Producer Chris Hilton
Director Randall Wood
Broadcaster ABC, Arte France, Smithsonian
Sales & Distribution Essential Media and Entertainment
Synopsis Amongst perhaps the only truly happy people on earth, maverick linguist Daniel
Everett sets out to discover if the language we speak defines the way we think. In fresh
studies of the culture and language of the Amazonian Pirahã tribe he seeks evidence for
groundbreaking concepts that, if proven, will end the ostracism and insults Everett has
endured from his own savage tribe of academics and expand our idea of what it means to be
human.
MACQUARIE THE FATHER OF AUSTRALIA
Intomedia Pty Ltd
Producers Stuart Scowcroft and Seona Robertson
Director Les Wilson
Broadcaster Foxtel, BBC Scotland
Synopsis Lachlan Macquarie took the jail settlement of Sydney Cove from a penal outpost
to a British colony in 10 short and tumultuous years. In doing so he paved the way to
nationhood. This is his story.
ROCKET COMPULSION
Firelight Productions Pty Ltd and Paper Bark Films Pty Ltd
Producers Marcus Gillezeau and Ellenor Cox
Director Gregory Read
Writer Simon Nasht
Broadcaster Discovery Networks Asia
Sales & Distribution Off The Fence, ABC Enterprises
Online Blink Digital
Synopsis This is the story of a tenacious Australian jet pilot, David Mayman, as he strives to
achieve his childhood dream of building and free-flying his very own Rocket Belt, only to
discover he faces a nearly impossible task. Collaborating with the world’s leading Rocket
Belt engineers David risks life and limb to become the world’s next Rocketman. Rocket
Compulsion will take the audience on a ride that shows point blank why less people have
flown Rocket Belts than have walked on the Moon.
THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Electric Pictures Pty Ltd
Producers Andrew Ogilvie and Andrea Quesnelle
Writer/Director Stephen Oliver
Broadcaster SBS, Ch4, DR, NPS/VPRO, NRK, RTE, SVT, VRT, WDR, YLE
Sales & Distribution BBC Worldwide
Synopsis Some see it as an outdated, second-rate entertainment show. But as the contest
enters its second half century in robust health, this is an opportunity to take it seriously (well,
most of the time) in a documentary series that mixes politics and pop music, fun, gossip, and
– sometimes – real international intrigue, to tell the behind-the-scenes stories of one of the
great institutions of European broadcasting. A winning blend of humour and insight, the
program will peer beyond the glitz and sparkle to examine the Eurovision Song Contest and
how it has tracked – and at times even influenced – the changing social and political life of
Europe.