Screen Australia invests $. million in nine documentaries

Screen Australia today announced over $2.2 million investment in nine documentaries, triggering over $10.6 million in production.

Screen Australia's Senior Manager Documentary Liz Stevens said, The slate of documentary projects announced today will examine a diverse range of topics across history, science and contemporary social issues, in a combination of series and one-off programs. This is a great outcome for industry and audiences alike and I'm looking forward to seeing the finished films.

Three programs have been funded through the National Documentary Program (NDP), including Changed Forever, a three-part documentary mini-series that tells the stories of people who were shaped by World War I, who also shaped Australia. It's produced by Michael Tear and Harriet Pike, directed by Serge Ou and written by Michael Cove.

Also funded through the NDP is a musical documentary set in Berrimah Prison on the outskirts of Darwin, Songs from the Inside, from writer/director Kelrick Martin. Harry Bardwell and Martin will produce the one-off documentary with Bardwell and Ron Saunders also on board as executive producers.

Writer/director David Bradbury's one-off NDP documentary Vietnam ANZACs is an account of Australian soldiers' action in the Vietnam War and the tragedy of the post traumatic stress that followed. It's produced for the ABC by both Jenny Day and Bradbury.

Media personality Geraldine Doogue will make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at Easter 2014 to search for what she believes is the essence of her Catholic faith in writer/director Mark Gould's The Way of the Cross, funded through the General Documentary Program. Trevor Graham and Gould will produce the one-off documentary for ABC TV.

Five documentaries have been funded through the International Documentary Program (IDP), including producer/writer/director Janine Hosking's 10-part series The Australian War Memorial. Produced for Foxtels History Channel with executive producer John McAvoy, the series follows renowned historian Neil Oliver behind-the-scenes of one of the world's most iconic institutions, the Australian War Memorial.

Islands of Oz is an IDP-funded documentary mini-series written by John McCourt and produced by Ed Punchard, Julia Redwood, Bill Jones and Philippa Braithwaite for Seven Network, which follows acclaimed actor and comedian Martin Clunes as he explores remote and spectacular islands that surround Australia.

Filmed over four years, writer/director Marc Eberle's The Cambodian Space Project: Not Easy Rock N' Roll is the story of the birth of multicultural rock band The Cambodian Space Project. The one-off IDP documentary is produced for the ABC, BBC, SVT and DR by Richard Kuipers and Eberle, with executive producers Sharyn Prentice and Angus Macqueen.

The one-off blue-chip natural history documentary Big Red tells the remarkable life story of a red kangaroo. Funded through the IDP, it's directed by Jens Westphalen and Thoralf Grospitz, written by Bettina Dalton and produced for National Geographic Channel International by Dalton and Veronica Fury.

Scientists will work barehanded with deadly sharks to determine the driving forces of shark predatory behaviour in director/writer Matt Tomaszewski's Great White Matrix. The one-off IDP-funded documentary is produced by Karina Holden for Nine Network Australia and Discovery US.

NATIONAL DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

CHANGED FOREVER

3 x 55 mins

For Valour Pty Ltd trading as Bearcage Television

Producers Michael Tear, Harriet Pike

Writer Michael Cove

Director Serge Ou

Broadcaster Foxtel History Channel

Sales Umbrella Entertainment and Flame Distribution

Synopsis Those who shaped our country were themselves shaped by the Great War. This is their story.

SONGS FROM THE INSIDE

55 mins

Beyond West Pty Ltd

Producers Harry Bardwell, Kelrick Martin

Executive Producers Harry Bardwell, Ron Saunders

Writer/Director Kelrick Martin

Broadcaster SBS

Sales Beyond Distribution

Synopsis A documentary musical set in Berrimah Prison on the outskirts of Darwin.

VIETNAM ANZACS

57 mins

Battle of Balmoral Pty Limited

Producers Jenny Day, David Bradbury

Writer/Director David Bradbury

Broadcaster ABC

Synopsis An account of Australian soldiers action in the Vietnam War and the tragedy of the post-traumatic stress that followed.

GENERAL DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

26 mins

Mark Gould Productions Pty Ltd

Producers Trevor Graham, Mark Gould

Writer/Director Mark Gould

Broadcaster ABC TV

Sales Ronin Films

Synopsis Media personality Geraldine Doogue makes a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at Easter 2014, searching for what she believes is the essence of her Catholic faith.

INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL

10 x 30 mins

Eyeworks Television Pty Limited

Producer/Writer/Director Janine Hosking

Executive Producer John McAvoy

Broadcaster Foxtel History Channel

Sales Agent Eyeworks Distribution

Synopsis In the lead up to the 100th anniversary of the First World War, international broadcaster and renowned historian Neil Oliver takes us behind-the-scenes of one of the world's most iconic institutions, the Australian War Memorial. With unprecedented access to the memorial, its staff and its rarely seen precious archives, this landmark documentary series will follow all the action across its busiest and most momentous year to date.

ISLANDS OF OZ

3 x 47 mins

Prospero Productions

Producers Ed Punchard, Julia Redwood, Bill Jones, Philippa Braithwaite

Writer John McCourt

Broadcaster Seven Network

Sales DRG

Synopsis Islands of Oz is a documentary series that follows acclaimed actor and comedian Martin Clunes as he explores the most diverse, intriguing, remote and spectacular islands that surround Australia.

THE CAMBODIAN SPACE PROJECT: NOT EASY ROCK N ROLL

60 mins

Flaming Star Fi

LINK:	http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/news_and_events/2013/mr_131202_docos...
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