April 16, 2024

Screen Australia to Fund Nine Documentaries with A$2.3 Million

Nine documentaries will receive a combined A$2.3 million funding by Screen Australia. By: Kritchanon Tan Kian Wei

Australia - Screen Australia has announced that they would be funding nine documentaries with a total of A$2.3 million (US$1.5 million), through their First Nations department, commissioned program and producer program.

The first project is Our Medicine, a six-part docuseries that documents the working lives of First Nations professionals in the medical sector. Meanwhile, The Jury Project, a four-part series, will explore “the intricacies and challenges inherent in the justice system.”

Next, funded through the producer program is Guardians of the River, which sees Papua New Guinean activist Manu Peni and his people try to protect the Sepik River from a nearby mine. Additionally, When the Front Fell Off is a tribute to New Zealand satirist John Clarke told from his daughter’s point of view, while The Colleano Heart revolves around an indigenous family of entertainers.

The Iron Winter explores herders in Mongolia’s Tsaikhir Valley, and The Kimberley is a three-part series covers a 400,000 square kilometer area in Australia’s northwest which contains savannas, gorges, rivers, tropical coastlines and desert.

Finally, Second to None follows the Lidl-Trek cycling team through the Tour de France Femmes 2023, while Sand Roads follows three Sydney boys set off on an adventure in 2010 that goes horribly wrong.

Head of Documentary at Screen Australia, Richard Huddleston, said the following: “This slate reflects our determination to support Australian filmmakers who want to tell stories from not just within our nation but further afield; whether it be exploring the brilliant mind of John Clarke, escaping to the majestic Kimberley, interrogating the inner workings of our jury system, following an epic tradition in Mongolia or fighting for the Papua New Guinean environment. They all push boundaries, play with form and reflect the rich, wide range of storytelling approaches we have in the Australian documentary community.”

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