2015–2016 documentary production funding approvals

DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION – PRODUCER PROGRAM

WASTE NATION
1 x 75mins
Mint Pictures
Executive Producer Simon Nasht, Adam Kay
Director  Dan Goldberg
Synopsis In a bid to lift the lid on one of Australia’s dirtiest secrets, social entrepreneur and accidental activist Ronni Kahn embarks on a crusade to end the $10 billion of food waste in Australia each year.

BEAUTIFUL MINDS: THE AGENTS OF CHANGE (formerly Homeward Bound)
1 x 90mins
Bunya Productions
Producer Greer Simpkin
Executive Producer David Jowsey
Director Ili Bare
Synopsis BEAUTIFUL MINDS: THE AGENTS  OF CHANGE charts the story of 78 female scientists as they embark on an epic journey to Antarctica. Fuelled by a growing mistrust of global leaders, the women want to change the startling prevalence of gender inequality in science. Following cutting edge leadership coaching, the scientists return home determined to up-end the leadership status quo and along the way reveal what’s possible when we get the gender balance right.

MAMIL
1 x 90mins
Waterbyrd Filmz
Producer Nickolas Bird
Director Eleanor Sharpe
Synopsis MAMILs, Middle-Aged Men in Lycra. During the week, they are white-collar professionals with responsible jobs, families and mortgages. Come the weekend, they transform into Lycra-clad super heroes; road warriors on expensive custom-made, carbon framed bikes traveling in packs and competing with other males for dominance in the group. MAMIL is a feature length documentary that dares to enter this secret world of middle-aged men to uncover the reasons that compel them to take to the road and sacrifice their time, money and energy to cycling.

FATHER JOE & THE BANGKOK SLAUGHTERHOUSE
1 x 90mins
Last Chance Hotel Productions
Producer / Director / Writer James Lingwood
Synopsis Father Joe is fighting to save his Klong Toey slum from the bulldozers of mass development and it's going to take more than an ounce of his wild Irish blood to stop them.

THE KINGDOM OF FUNGI
1 x 58mins
Smith and Nasht & Real to Reel Productions
Producer Susan MacKinnon, Bill Spahic
Executive Producer Simon Nasht, Anne Pick
Director Annamaria Talas
Synopsis How the secret world of fungi is essential to life on Earth and holds the key to our future.

KIMBERLEY PROJECT (working title)
1 x 90mins
Amnesia Productions
Producer Nicholas Wrathall, Stephanie King
Director Nicholas Wrathall
Writer Nicholas Wrathall, Stephanie King
Synopsis This film investigates what is behind the government's controversial plan to close 150 remote Indigenous communities in Western Australia and what this means for the Kimberley people, in terms of the social, political and economic complexities of life on country.

SACRED SONG
1 x 58mins
Brindle Films
Producer Rachel Clements, Trisha Morton-Thomas and Naina Sen
Director Naina Sen
Synopsis An aboriginal women’s choir goes on a historic journey to take back   the hymns that were given to their ancestors by the German missionaries but in their own ancient languages. Come on an adventure as the unlikeliest band on earth goes on tour.. to the other side of the world!

LISTER - ADVENTURE PAINTER
1 x 90mins
Carver Films
Producer Sarah Shaw, Eddie Martin
Director / Writer Eddie Martin
Synopsis A candid and personal insight into the rise of world-renowned street artist Anthony Lister as he challenges conservative Australia, whilst battling his own demons.

MY MOTHER'S LOST CHILDREN
1 x 80mins
Unicorn Films
Producers Lizzette Atkins, Rhian Skirving
Director Danny Ben-Moshe
Synopsis My Mother's Lost Children is an intimate view into the lives of an eccentric Jewish family, as their lives are thrown into turmoil when two stolen children reappear after 40 years.

JILL BILCOCK: DANCING THE  INVISIBLE
27 mins
Faraway Productions Pty Ltd
Producer Axel Grigor, Faramarz K-Rahber
Executive Producer Sue Maslin
Director / Writer Axel Grigor
Synopsis A vibrant look at the fascinating life and craft of renowned Australian film editor Jill Bilcock.

A LEG TO STAND ON
52 mins
Serendipity Productions Pty Ltd
Producer Margie Bryant
Director David Roach
Synopsis A Leg to Stand On explores the little know scientific innovation being pioneered by Australian surgeon Associate Prof Munjed Al Muderis as he battles controversy and embraces new found notorierty on his mission to change the life of amputees.

OYSTER
80 mins
Bower Bird Films Pty Limited
Producer Pat Fiske
Director Kim Beamish
Synopsis The bursting flavour of a Sydney Rock Oyster releases the salty taste of the lake but gives nothing away in regards to the fragile environment it grew up in or the story of the family, the farm, the hard work or sacrifices put in by the farmer who raised it.         

WAYNE
95 mins
GFC/Fightertown Australia Pty Ltd
Producer Matthew Metcalfe
Director Jeremy Sims
Writer Jeremy Sims, Matthew Metcalfe
Synopsis Wayne tells the exhilarating story of 1987 World Motorcycle Grand Prix Champion Wayne Gardner’s triumphant, improbable journey from a 5-dollar dirt bike to the international summit of his sport.

WESTWIND: DJALU'S LEGACY
80 mins
Jonnie & Kate Films, Madman Production Company Ltd
Producer Kate Pappas, Nick Batzias, Ben Pederick, Virginia Whitwell
Associate Producer Djalu Gurruwiwi
Executive Producer Paul Wiegard
Director Ben Strunin
Writer Larry Gurruwiwi
Synopsis Ancient Songlines. A way forward. A legacy shared. An Aboriginal Elder, Djalu Gurruwiwi, warrior, shaman and father, must find a way to bring two worlds together to save his sons and his culture.

OWN THE SKY
90 mins
Firelight Productions/Paperbark Films
Producer Marcus Gillezeau, Ellenor Cox
Executive Producer Simon Nasht
Director Gregory Read
Synopsis Secrecy, conspiracy, obsession and an insatiable conviction to dare to dream and defy the impossible. The incredible story of three men who design, build and fly the world's first real Jetpack around the Statue of Liberty.

AN AUSTRALIAN NIGHTMARE
57 mins
Fridgejam Productions
Producer / Director / Writer Gary Doust
Executive Producer Megan McMurchy
Synopsis Follow comedic Actor / Filmmaker Craig Anderson on his riotous roller-coaster journey as he puts his life savings on the line to make his first really, really low budget horror film ‘Red Christmas’.

BLUE
90 mins
Northern Pictures
Producer Electra Manikakis
Impact Producer Sarah Beard 
Executive Producer Sue Clothier
Director / Writer Karina Holden
Synopsis Blue tells the story of ocean change and explores the hidden crisis in our seas.

CASTING JONBENET
85 mins
Matricide Pictures Pty Ltd
Producers Kitty Green, Scott Macaulay
Director Kitty Green
Synopsis A sly and stylised exploration of the world’s most sensational child-murder case, the unsolved death of six-year-old American beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey.

ELLA’S JOURNEY
75 mins
WildBear Entertainment Pty Ltd
Producers Veronica Fury, Dena Curtis, Lawrence Johnson, Murray Power
Director Douglas Watkin
Synopsis Ella's Journey follows the first Indigenous Dancer to be accepted into The Australian Ballet.

GHOSTHUNTER
90 mins
Exit Films
Producer Rebecca Bennett
Executive Producer Margie Bryant
Director / Writer Ben Lawrence
Synopsis Jason - father, brother, husband, son, Ghosthunter. A life-long search for an absent father uncovers an horrific revelation and ignites a police manhunt – awakening a real-life monster.

NO STRINGS ATTACHED
10 x 5mins
Green Bean Pictures Pty Ltd
Producers Lisa Kovacevic, Emma Watts
Director Emma Watts
Synopsis No Strings Attached features a cast of puppets that lip sync and re-enact storiesof dating app users from around Australia. This 10 part documentary web series peers beneath the covers of this social phenomenon and tells the true stories of Australians trying to connect in the 21st Century.  

SEIDLER – BRUTAL OR BEAUTIFUL
55 mins
Film Art Doco Pty Ltd
Producers Charlotte Seymour, Sue Maslin
Director Daryl Dellora
Synopsis Brutal or beautiful, from the moment he arrive in Sydney, Harry Seidler’s private homes were in demand and his uniquely stylised and innovatively engineered tower blocks came to dominate city skylines all over the country. His vision and his personality cannot be ignored. 

GURRUMUL – ELCHO DREAMING
90 mins
6 Seasons Productions Pty Ltd
Producer Shannon Swan
Co Producers Mark Grose, Michael Hohnen & Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Director Paul Williams
Writers Paul Williams, Shannon Swan
Music Composed by Michael Hohnen & Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Synopsis Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is a blind aboriginal man with the voice of an angel who became famous, but couldn’t forget where he came from.

SLAM TV
6 x 5 mins & 1x 30 mins 
Undergrowth Pty Ltd
Producer Adam Farrington-Williams, Shannon Swan, Timothy Parish
Director Timothy Parish, Darius Devas
Writer Timothy Parish
Synopsis SLAM TV is a cutting edge multi-platform documentary series showcasing powerful, challenging and inspiring spoken-word 'slam poetry’.

SPOOKERS
90 mins
Madman Production Company International Pty Ltd
Producers Nick Batzias, Suzanne Walker, Lani-rain Feltham, Virginia Whitwell
Executive Producer Paul Wiegard
Director Florian Habicht
Writers Veronica Gleeson, Peter O’Donoghue, Florian Habicht
Synopsis A close-knit farming family open the most successful scare park in the Southern Hemisphere; facing their fears so others can face theirs, and in doing so creating a home away from home for hundreds of performers.

YEAR 12 DIARIES
26 x 26 mins
Princess Pictures Holdings Pty Ltd
Producer Karla Burt
Executive Producer Laura Waters
Synopsis Year 12 Diaries is the real story of Year 12 told by the kids as they go through it.

DEFIANT LIVES
90 mins
Liz Burke Media Pty Ltd
Producers Liz Burke, Sarah Barton
Director Sarah Barton
Synopsis Defiant Lives takes the audience on an international journey from the post war period when disabled people were routinely imprisoned in institutions for life, through the revolutionary activism informed by “the Social Model”, and the changes that allowed have allowed more disabled people to fully take part in society.

EMBRACE
85 mins
Southern Light Alliance Pty Ltd
Producers Anna Vincent, Taryn Brumfitt
Executive Producers Timothy White, Mathew Brumfitt
Director Taryn Brumfitt
Synopsis Filmmaker Taryn Brumfitt is an internationally recognised body image activist with over 15 million internet hits across YouTube and Kickstarter. Embrace tells the story of Taryn's personal journey from body loather to body lover, and follows her crusade to change the way women think about themselves and feel about their bodies.

FIRST FLIGHT
57 mins
Artemis International Pty Ltd
Executive Producers Brian Beaton, Celia Tait
Director Tilman Remme
Synopsis Who were the backyard mechanics and dreamers who contributed to history’s greatest invention? First Flight explores the unwritten history behind the machine that revolutionised the world.

MISSION RUBBERMAN
60 mins
Simon & Nasht Ltd
Producers Ruth Cross, Randall Wood
Executive Producer Simon Nasht
Director Randall Wood
Synopsis The search for the perfect condom that enhances sex and saves lives.

PLAY TO WIN
90 mins
Jerrycan Films Pty Ltd
Producers Michael Angus, Sue Swinburne
Executive Producer Nathan Mayfield
Director Sue Swinburne
Synopsis Play to Win is a richly-layered documentary and interactive exploration of Brisbane game developers Halfbrick Studios. Helmed by the charming and youthful Shainiel Deo, Halfbrick are on a quest to become number one in the multi-billion dollar casual games market. Playing games just got serious.

THE SHADOWLAND
60 mins
Bunya Treehouse Productions
Producer Greer Simpkin
Executive Producer David Jowsey
Director/ Writer Kaye Harrison
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis The Shadowland explores how an asylum seeker, a refugee advocate and an Anglican priest refuse to let fear get in the way of compassion.

DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION – BROADCAST PROGRAM

DATE MY RACE
1 x 51mins
Matchbox Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Susie Jones
Broadcaster SBS
Synopsis Date My Race is a documentary that asks: in a world where the internet allows us to choose from a never-ending smorgasbord of potential mates, what role does race play in seeking a partner?

TESTING TEACHERS
3 x 51mins
Screentime Pty Ltd
Producers Anita Jorgensen, Niamh Linnie 
Executive Producers Jennifer Collins, Simon Steel
Broadcaster SBS
Synopsis Can first time teachers make a difference in schools that need them the most?

FOR THE LOVE OF MEAT
3 x 52mins
Essential Media and Entertainment Pty Ltd
Producer / Director / Writer Josh Martin, Stephen Oliver
Executive Producer Sonja Armstrong
Broadcaster SBS
Synopsis Matthew Evans is a pig farmer embarking on a journey to discover the best way to eat meat that is healthy, ethical and sustainable.

(SOCIAL ISSUE PROJECT)
3 x 51 mins
Blackfella Films
Producers Darren Dale, Jacob Hickey 
Broadcaster TBC
Synopsis TBC

A STORY OF AUSTRALIAN CINEMA with David Stratton
3 x 57mins
Stranger Than Fiction Films Pty Ltd
Producers Jo-anne McGowan, Jen Peedom
Director Sally Aitken
Writers Sally Aitken, Alex Barry
Broadcaster ABC TV
Synopsis This is the story of Australian cinema and its creators from the point of view of its most revered critic, David Stratton. It will present the cinematic visions of our filmmakers and intimate behind-the-scenes stories. It also explores David’s personal journey to becoming a world-renowned authority on the art form that defined the twentieth-century.

MIRACLE HOSPITAL
8 x 24mins - 8 x 22
The Feds Australia Pty Ltd
Producers Jenni Wilks  
Executive Producer Julia Peters
Broadcaster National Geographic Channels
Synopsis MIRACLE HOSPITAL is a transformative documentary series that takes us behind the scenes at St Vincent’s Hospital to meet patients and the elite specialist teams who are using the latest science and technology to perform life-saving procedures every day.

ISLANDS OF OZ
3 x 60 mins
Prospero Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Julia Redwood, Ed Punchard, Bill Jones, Philippa Braithwaite
Director: Ian Leese
Broadcaster: Channel Seven
Synopsis: Islands of Oz  is a 3 x 1 hour documentary series that follows acclaimed actor and comedian Martin Clunes as he explores the most diverse, intriguing, remote and spectacular islands that surround Australia

JADE'S QUEST
48 mins
Jade Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Daryl Talbot
Producer/Director/Writer: Wayne Dyer
Broadcaster: NGC Network (Australia) Pty Ltd
Synopsis: Jade is an unassuming 14-year-old who sets out on an extraordinary journey to the top of the world aimed at inspiring young girls to chase their dreams, no matter how impossible her own might seem.

OUTBACK
3 x 56 mins
Eye Spy Productions Pty Ltd trading as Northern Pictures
Producer Tosca Looby
Executive Producer:: Karina Holden, Sue Clothier
Director: Brendan Fletcher
Broadcaster: Nine Network
Synopsis: Through the eyes of those who devote their lives to the Outback, comes a deep insight into the elemental power of Nature and its dramatic extremes.

THE SURGERY SHIP SERIES
8 x 48 mins
Media Stockade Pty Ltd
Producer: Madeleine Hetherton, Rebecca Barry
Writer: Madeleine Hetherton
Broadcaster: National Geographic, SBS
Synopsis: One Ship. Thousands of Patients. One Year to Help. A team of medics facing life and death decisions.

FAMILY RULES
6 x 30 mins
Metamorflix Pty Ltd
Producer Gillian Moody 
Executive Producers Renee Kennedy, Karla Hart
Director Karla Hart
Writer Dena Curtis
Broadcaster NITV
Synopsis A documentary series tackling the stereotypes of Indigenous Australia through the prism of one unique urban Aboriginal family – in their household family rules!

ROD TAYLOR: PULLING NO PUNCHES
75 mins
Lowlands Media Pty Ltd
Producers Robert de Young, Stephan Wellink 
Executive Producer Alan Finney
Director Robert de Young
Writer Dena Curtis
Broadcaster Foxtel HD Arts
Synopsis Australian actor Rod Taylor was a versatile and popular leading man, equally adept at romantic comedy, adventure and dramatic roles, and his rugged on-screen and off-screen persona created a brand of Australian masculinity now evident in the work of actors such as Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe and Sam Worthington.

STOP LAUGHING. THIS IS SERIOUS (SERIES 2)
3 x 56 mins
Screentime Pty Ltd
Producers Craig Anderson, Ruth Cullen
Executive Producer Jennifer Collins
Broadcaster ABC TV
Synopsis Stop Laughing…This Is Serious (Series 2) is a three-part documentary series that continues the story of Australian comedy, delving into the defining moments that have helped to shape our comedic voice of today.

KEEPING AUSTRALIA ALIVE
6 x 60 mins
ITV Studios Australia Pty Ltd
Producer Elle Gibbons
Executive Producers Ben Ulm, Karen Dewey, Penny Robinson
Broadcaster ABC TV
Synopsis With advances in technology and medical services, plus our aging population, how healthy is our health system?  100 cameras, 24 hours... a landmark documentary series captures the Australian health system in one snapshot...telling the story of who we are, what we value and how we live and die.

PLAYED: INSIDE AUSTRALIA’S FAILED WORLD CUP BID
1 x 60 mins
Southern Pictures Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Laurie Critchley
Presenter: Leigh Sales
Broadcaster ABC TV
Synopsis The inside story of how Australia got played in the murky world of FIFA and the dirtiest World Cup Bid in history.

BECOMING SUPERHUMAN
2 x 27.5 mins
The Feds Australia Pty Ltd
Executive Producer Julia Peters
Producer Ili Baré
Director Wain Fimeri
Broadcaster ABC TV
Synopsis Could the day when technology gives our biology superhuman powers be closer than we think? How might our brains and bodies adapt? Might the human brain prove itself as the ultimate computer? In this two-part series, a boy’s impossible wish is granted … and we catch a glimpse of our superhuman future.

ON THE TRACKS
44 mins
Prospero Productions Pty Ltd
Producers Ed Punchard, Julia Redwood
Director Alison James
Broadcaster Discovery Australia
Synopsis On The Tracks explores the fascinating inner workings of Australia’s booming outback railways and the dedicated train crews who battle every day to keep the nation on track.