Screen Australia invests in six new Signature documentaries

Six new documentary projects have been greenlit through Screen Australia's Signature Documentary program. The investment of $1 million in five one-off documentary films and one multi-platform documentary will generate over $2.1 million in production.

Approved projects include renowned director George Gittoes' (Love City, Jalalabad) new film Snow Monkey, which examines whether the ideals and dreams fostered in Afghanistan during the time of its foreign military occupation can continue once outside protection has gone. The film will be produced by Lizzette Atkins, with Piraya Film in Norway co-producing.

Award-winning producer/writer/director Robert Nugent's (End of the Rainbow) new film Night Parrot Stories looks at the entanglements between a lost bird and the man-made world. Mitzi Goldman will also produce the film.

Driving My Mother Sane is a documentary from director/writer Paul Gallasch (Killing Anna) and producer Katrina Lucas, about a son who returns home to live with his mentally ill mother.

Gayby Baby looks at the contemporary debate around the legalisation of gay marriage, following four kids who are coming of age raised in same-sex families. The film is directed by Maya Newell and produced by Charlotte Mars.

Spanning a decade, producer/writer/director Nicole Ma's documentary Putuparri explores our entangled Indigenous and colonial history and one man's monumental struggle to fulfil his destiny. Set in the remote Kimberley region of Australia's North West, the documentary is also produced by John Moore.

One-off documentaries continue to be an important medium, said Screen Australia's Senior Manager of Documentary, Liz Stevens. Screen Australia values diversity on our screens and continues to grow the support of one-off documentary through its Signature and Producer Equity funding programs.

The multi-platform documentary project One Slash Zero Conflict and the Digital Revolution from director/writer Patrick Clair and producer Andy Nehl was also approved for investment through the Signature program. It is a transmedia journey through the critical flashpoints and compelling conflicts of the digital revolution.

The Australian Government, through Screen Australia, contributes around $18 million per year in direct support to documentary program-making in Australia, generating production budgets in excess of $50 million.

Due to the additional Australian Government funds delivered to support digital production, announced earlier in the year, interactive documentaries will now be supported through the Multi-platform Documentary Production program instead of the Signature Documentary Program. The Multi-platform Documentary Production program will continue to support interactive documentary storytelling that is bold in form and/or content, with a strong creative vision that pushes the boundaries on non-traditional platforms.

The increase to interactive funding opened an opportunity to review applications to the Signature funding program, Liz Stevens said.

Screen Australia highly values the Signature program and we're aware of how strong the competition for funds is. Most filmmakers contribute a significant amount of resources in applying for Signature funding. To make it easier and more efficient to apply we've created a two-stage process, which means a more concise application to the first stage. Filmmakers will hear much faster if they make it onto the shortlist.

Guidelines for the revised Signature Documentary program are available at

www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding/documentary/Signature_Doc.aspx

Guidelines for the Multi-platform Documentary Production program are available at

www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding/documentary/Doc_multiplatform.aspx

DRIVING MY MOTHER SANE

Paul Gallasch Films

Producer Katrina Lucas

Writer/Director Paul Gallasch

Synopsis A son returns home to his mentally ill mother in an attempt to fix her ills, her loneliness and ultimately his own overbearing guilt.

GAYBY BABY

Gayby Baby Productions Pty Ltd

Producer Charlotte Mars

Director Maya Newell

Synopsis Four kids raised in same-sex families are coming of age in a year that is seeing the strongest political battle for the legalisation of gay marriage.

NIGHT PARROT STORIES

Looking Glass Pictures Pty Ltd

Director/Producer/Writer Robert Nugent

Producer Mitzi Goldman

Synopsis Entanglements between a lost bird and the man-made world.

PUTUPARRI

John Moore Productions

Producer/Writer/Director Nicole Ma

Producer John Moore

Broadcaster NITV

Distributor Ronin Films

Synopsis Spanning a decade and set in the remote Kimberley region of Australia's North West, Putuparri explores our entangled Indigenous and colonial history and one man's monumental struggle to fulfil his destiny.

SNOW MONKEY

Unicorn Films Pty Ltd

Producer Lizzette Atkins

Co-producer Piraya Film, Norway

Director George Gittoes

Synopsis Snow Monkey is about whether the ideals and dreams fostered in Afghanistan during the time of its foreign military occupation can continue once outside protection has gone.

ONE SLASH ZERO CONFLICT AND THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION

Studio Antibody Pty Ltd

Producer Andy Nehl

Writer/Director Patrick Clair

Synopsis One Slash Zero is a transmedia journey through the critical flashpoints and compelling conflicts of the digital revolution.

Media Enquiries

Teri Calder T: 02 8113 5833; M: 0408 440 995

teri.calder@screenaustralia.gov.au

LINK:	http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/news_and_events/2013/mr_131106_signa...
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