Screen Australia announces $4.6 million for 21 documentaries

23 02 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces $4.6 million for 21 documentaries

Our Law: Queensland Police - Caboolture Police Station, Constable Jarwin Blackman

Screen Australia has announced two documentaries through the First Nations Department, 12 documentaries through the Producer Program and seven projects through the Commissioned Program that will share in $4.6 million of production funding.

This includes feature documentary Rose Gold following the star-studded Australian Boomers basketball team, Breakaway Femmes about the women's Tour de France, Devil's Last Stand on the realities faced by Tasmanian Devils, plus a second season of NITV's Our Law narrated by Deborah Mailman.

Screen Australia's Head of Documentary Alex West said, We're pleased to announce this latest mix of documentaries which explore various chapters of Australia's history, highlight where we may be headed in the future and shine a light on Australians making a difference. In doing so, I hope this extensive offering will also provide viewers with insights on topics including art, health and science, our environment, gender and multiculturalism which can help add to important contemporary conversations.

Angela Bates, Head of First Nations at Screen Australia said, We are proud to support two experienced teams in their mission to deliver compelling documentaries, Rebel with a Cause and Our Law season 2. Our Law will continue to provide an honest insight into the challenges First Nations police officers face as they aim to change the system from within, while Rebel with a Cause celebrates four outstanding trailblazers in Queensland, who have each left lasting legacies in their respective fields.

The projects funded through the First Nations Department:

Rebel with a Cause: A 4 x 51-minute documentary series for NITV that celebrates the personal journey of four outstanding First Nations trailblazers from Queensland poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal, teacher and barrister Pat O Shane, radio presenter Tiga Bayles and Senator Neville Bonner who against the odds created amazing pathways for future generations. Douglas Watkin (Ella), Jill Robinson (Sistas in Mining) and Sio F. Tusa and EJ Garrett of Elements are directing, with Dena Curtis (Grace Beside Me) and Citt Williams (Yellow Fella) producing. From Inkey Media, Rebel with a Cause is financed with support from Screen Queensland.

Our Law Season 2: An 8 x 30-min series for NITV which provides intimate and candid access to First Nations police officers, recruits, and cadets as they attempt to break the cycle of Indigenous incarceration and repair deeply troubled Aboriginal-police relationships, while giving a rightful voice to the First Nations communities being policed. Following on from the success of season 1, Our Law's second season expands nationwide with unparalleled access to the Western Australian Police and now new access to other Australian police jurisdictions. From the creative team behind season 1, including director Perun Bonser and producers Taryne Laffar and Sam Field, this series is a Pink Pepper Pty Ltd and Periscope Pictures Pty Ltd production and is financed in association with NITV with support from Screenwest and Lotterywest.

The First Nations Department production funding blocklines are available here.

The projects funded through the Commissioned Program are:

A Forgotten Cure (working title): A 54-minute documentary for SBS which follows teams of scientists in Melbourne and Sydney as they test a largely forgotten and experimental therapy on three critically ill superbug-infected patients a therapy that involves injecting them with trillions of viruses. For the first time, filmmakers follow the patients, doctors, and scientists in nail-biting real time, revealing the extraordinary science and history of phage therapy'; a 100-year old treatment that promises to not only save these patients' lives but also give hope to the world. Writing/directing is Emma Watts (Invisible Wars), with Anna Mantzoros attached as producer and Sonya Pemberton (Carbon: An Unauthorised Biography) as producer and executive producer. It is financed by SBS in association with VicScreen.

Designing a Legacy Season 2: Comedian and architecture enthusiast Tim Ross travels the country in this two-part documentary from SAM Content and Modernister Films for the ABC visiting structures that reveal surprising ways to read Australian history and explore our sense of identity in the architecture around us. He explores how buildings can leave a legacy of respect, create community, forge common identity and offer visions for our future. Ross, whose credits include Streets of your Town, is executive producing alongside Sally Aitken (The Pacific in The Wake of Cook with Sam Neill), with Aline Jacques (Miriam Margolyes: Almost Australian) producing and Chris Eley (The Accused: Guilty or Innocent) directing. This project is financed in association with the ABC.

Devil s Last Stand: A 55-minute documentary for the ABC from the director of Quoll Farm, Simon Plowright. Returning to the spectacular landscape of far north-west Tasmania, this film follows Plowright as he immerses himself in the daily life of another remarkable animal, the often-misunderstood Tasmanian Devil. For a year he will live with devils, revealing the epic struggle this unique marsupial is facing against both a fatal disease and the impacts of human encroachment. Devil's Last Stand is directed by Plowright, produced by Simon Nasht (The Kingdom: How Fungi made The World) and is financed in association Screen Tasmania.

Dolphins: Is Our Love Too Deep?: This ground-breaking, investigative hour-long film for the ABC explores the impact humans are having on wild dolphins through hand feeding tourism programs in Australia. The documentary will uncover the tenuo

LINK:	https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2023/02-23-4-m...
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