Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Seven new documentaries commissioned through the Curious Australia initiative

31/01/2022

31 01 2022 - Media release Seven new documentaries commissioned through the Curious Australia initiative

The Alexander Ball (Photo credit: Somefx)

SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and Screen Australia have announced a collection of seven standalone half-hour documentaries commissioned through the nationwide Curious Australia initiative.

In partnership with state and territory agencies Film Victoria, Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory, Screenwest and the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC), Curious Australia supports screen practitioners from under-represented backgrounds in the sector to amplify their authentic, enlightening and powerful stories on Australian screens.

SBS has commissioned Run Girl (Screen NSW), The Alexander Ball (Screen Queensland), We Are Sexual Beings (Film Victoria), and Whatever Scares You (Film Victoria), while Black Empire (South Australian Film Corporation), Sistas in Mining (Screen Queensland) and Unlocked (Screen NSW) have been commissioned to premiere on NITV.

Criteria for Curious Australia applications included two key creative roles on a project being held by people from an under-represented background, including those identifying as First Nations Australians; women, those with diverse age backgrounds; people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds; people living with disability; people of diverse sexuality and gender identities including LGBTQIA ; people from under-represented locations (including regional and remote areas); and people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

Each documentary was selected for its reflection of SBS's Charter and its innovative exploration of issues relevant to contemporary Australia.

The selected titles commissioned to premiere on SBS and NITV, are:

Run Girl (Screen NSW): Australian Olympic sprinter, Bendere Oboya, embraces her identity to confront her destiny as she switches disciplines from the 400m to 800m in pursuit of becoming the world s best. After joining her local athletics club to make friends the Ethiopian-born 21 year old is determined to show that no matter your beginnings, anything is possible. Director/Producer/Writer: Renny Wijeyamohan, Writer: Zufan Emerson.

The Alexander Ball (Screen Queensland): An observational documentary extravaganza celebrating Samoan-Australian trans woman of colour, Ella Ganza, and the Meanjin (Brisbane) ballroom scene, as the community prepares for one of biggest pride events of the year: The Alexander Ball. Director/Producer/Writer: Jessica Magro.

We Are Sexual Beings (Film Victoria): What does it mean to be young, disabled and sexual in modern Australia? We Are Sexual Beings exposes the fun and sometimes painful details as we follow three remarkably different human beings who all happen to share two things in common: life altering spinal injuries and healthy sexual appetites. Creator/Writer/Producer: Lucy Knox, Creator/Writer/Producer: Isaac Elliott.

Whatever Scares You (Film Victoria): A rite of passage film that documents Breanna Deleo in her first year of work. Breanna is attempting to work as a professional artist - a challenging profession for anyone. And Breanna identifies as disabled. Breanna's parents are her greatest allies and advocates. They want to protect Breanna but sometimes to find our way in the world, we need to go it alone. Writer and Director: Tamara Searle, Writer: Breanna Deleo , Producer: Alice Fleming.

Black Empire (South Australian Film Corporation): After a successful but exhausting career fighting prejudice, racism, and exploitation in the Australian Music Industry, rapper Jimblah embarks on his latest project, BLKMPIRE, aiming to reimagine how the music industry can work. But can he transform the country through black song, or will the staid traditions of an exploitative industry rear their heads? Director: Johanis Lyons-Reid, Writer/Director: Pearl Berry, Writer/Producer: Piri Eddy, Producer: Lilla Berry.

Sistas in Mining (Screen Queensland): Sistas in Mining (working title), is a documentary that will follow the inspiring story of Shontell Leah Ketchell, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman, who is an aspiring screenwriter who works as a production operator on a coal mine in Central Queensland. Co-Director: Ewan Cutler, Co-Director/Producer: Jill Robinson, Writer/Creator/Associate Producer: Shontell Leah Ketchell.

Unlocked (Screen NSW): Unlocked explores how a journey of two similar teenagers facing juvenile incarceration can be drastically altered if they identify as being Indigenous Australian. A story about mental illness told through the lens of animation, having animated characters interact with live action worlds is innovative and refreshing. Co-Director/Co-Writer: Jake Duczynski, Co-Director/Co-Writer: Mr James Hackett, Executive Producer: Beck Cole, Producer: Andrew Arbuthnot.

Bernadine Lim, Commissioning Editor of Documentaries at SBS said, The response to Curious Australia was fantastic, we received a large number of submissions with exciting, untold stories from incredible up-and-coming storytellers.

Curious Australia is an exciting new addition to our factual offering across the SBS network, providing a unique opportunity for mid-level and emerging documentary-makers to tackle contemporary Australian stories and issues, while also supporting the development of diverse creative talent in the sector.

Marissa McDowell, Commissioning Editor at NITV said, We're really looking forward to seeing these bold and unique stories from First Nations documentary makers across Australia uncovered through this initiative, come to life on our screens. We're pleased to be ensuring that under-represented storytellers have a platform for their perspectives to inspire all Australians.

Screen Australia's Head of Documentary, Alex West said, These un
LINK: https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2022/01-31-sev...
See more stories from screenaustralia

More from Screen Aus

27/06/2025

Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong

27 06 2025 - Media release Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong Marton Csokas and Lila McGuire of Goolagong. Image c...

06/06/2025

Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwright and Soo Hugh Headline Future Vision 2025

06 06 2025 - Media release Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwri...

12/05/2025

Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directing Debut with Dark Comedy Fangs

10 05 2025 - Media release Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directin...

01/05/2025

Screen Australia empowers 100+ distinctive Australian narratives

01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...

09/04/2025

Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase

09 04 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase Kids IP Incubator recipients in Melbourne for the workshop...

01/04/2025

Bus Stop Films' first feature Boss Cat to begin production in June

01 04 2025 - Media release Bus Stop Films' first feature Boss Cat to begin production in June Boss Cat cast (L-R): Olivia Hargroder, Penny Downie and Juli...

06/03/2025

Powerhouse Speakers named for Untapped 2025

06 03 2025 - Media release Powerhouse Speakers named for Untapped 2025 Top (L-R): Jet Wilkinson, Michael Shanks. Bottom (L-R): Ryan O Connell, Megan Park. Au...

20/02/2025

Feisty Feminist Murder Mystery He Had It Coming Announced

18 02 2025 - Media release Feisty Feminist Murder Mystery He Had It Coming Announced Stars of He Had It Coming, Lydia West, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Liv Hewso...

20/02/2025

Screen Australia and Stan Announce New Comedy-Horror Series Gnomes

18 02 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and Stan Announce New Comedy-Horror Series Gnomes Gnomes writers Tegan Higginbotham and Paul Verhoeven, and creato...

05/02/2025

Sanctuary Pictures Unveils Punk-Horror Feature Penny Lane Is Dead

04 02 2025 - Media release Sanctuary Pictures Unveils Punk-Horror Feature Penny Lane Is Dead Writer/Director of Penny Lane Is Dead, Mia'Kate Russell Sanc...

12/12/2024

Screen Australia, ABC and NITV announce Proper Loved Up Short Film Initiative

12 12 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, ABC and NITV announce Proper Loved Up Short Film Initiative Short Film Last Drinks at Fridas from Pitch Short Bla...

21/11/2024

Much-loved series Austin returns for a second season

21 11 2024 - Media release Much-loved series Austin returns for a second season Austin season 2: Ingrid (Sally Phillips), Julian (Ben Miller), Austin (Michael...

21/11/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce new documentary series Eat The Invaders

21 11 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new documentary series Eat The Invaders Eat The Invaders: Tony Armstrong, Kirsha Kaechele and Vin...

21/11/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce drama series The Family Next Door

21 11 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce drama series The Family Next Door Teresa Palmer as Isabelle in The Family Next Door. Photo credit...

20/11/2024

Screen Australia, SBS and NITV unveil Digital Originals shortlist for 2024

20 11 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, SBS and NITV unveil Digital Originals shortlist for 2024 Digital Originals recipients with Screen Australia, SBS ...

31/10/2024

SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce documentary series 2.6 Seconds

30 10 2024 - Media release SBS, NITV and Screen Australia announce documentary series 2.6 Seconds 2.6 Seconds. Photo credit: Jesse Marlow. SBS, NITV and Scr...

10/10/2024

Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects

10 10 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $8.1 million of production funding for 15 projects L-R: Love Adjacent director Louise Alston, Watching Y...

17/09/2024

Screen Australia and Paramount+ Announce New Murder Mystery, Playing Gracie Darling

16 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Paramount Announce New Murder M...

11/09/2024

Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce Early Career Writers Program

10 09 2024 - Media release Endemol Shine Australia and Screen Australia announce...

04/09/2024

Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry

04 09 2024 - Media release Screen Australia invests over $2 million in Australian Games Industry Zodiac Mountain Screen Australia has announced over $2 milli...

28/08/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs

28 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce four new children's programs Andy Lee at Richmond Primary School with his nephews Freddy Mile...

22/08/2024

Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries

22 08 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces $3 million for 13 documentaries We Are Jeni Screen Australia has announced 11 documentaries through the...

19/08/2024

Production starts on RFDS season three

19 08 2024 - Media release Production starts on RFDS season three RFDS cast. Photo Credit John Platt. Pre-production on the third season of the Seven Network...

15/08/2024

Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son

15 08 2024 - Media release Maggie and Arthur return to the ABC for a second season of Mother and Son Denise Scott and Matt Okine in Mother and Son Fans of t...

06/08/2024

Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia

06 08 2024 - Media release Bruce Beresford's Film Overture starts production in Western Australia Overture cast (L-R) Susie Porter, Luke Bracey and Bryan ...

17/07/2024

Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Online Creators set to Skip Ahead

17 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia announce Onlin...

12/07/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics

12 07 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce new comedy series Optics Optics. Photo credit: Joel Pratley ABC and Screen Australia have annou...

10/07/2024

Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2

10 07 2024 - Media release Shipwreck Hunters Australia back on the water for Season 2 Shipwreck Hunters Australia Screen Australia and The Walt Disney Compan...

09/07/2024

Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens

09 07 2024 - Media release Applications Open for Digital Originals, and three new dramas coming to screens (L-R) Moonbird director, co-creator and co-writer N...

30/05/2024

Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION

30 05 2024 - Media release Screen Australia, Australians in Film and VicScreen announce FUTURE VISION Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo Australians in Film, Scree...

08/05/2024

Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA

08 05 2024 - Media release Olivia Colman and John Lithgow Star in Sophie Hyde's New Project JIMPA Olivia Colman and John Lithgow in JIMPA. Photo credit: M...

29/04/2024

Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light

29 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces James J. Robinson's debut feature First Light First Light Principal Photography is underway on Firs...

24/04/2024

Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024

24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound...

18/04/2024

Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative

18 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Dynamic Television announce new Scripted Initiative Savage River Screen Australia and Los Angeles-based telev...

11/04/2024

Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First Nations Creators Program for Instagram

11 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Meta launch fourth year of First...

10/04/2024

Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries

10 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $2.3 million for nine documentaries Guardians of the River Screen Australia has announced nine doc...

21/03/2024

Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry

21 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $1.6 million in support of the games industry Which Way Up: Galaxy Games Screen Australia has anno...

18/03/2024

Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative

18 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and VicScreen launch new Screen Careers initiative LTR Denise Eriksen, Esther Coleman Hawkins, Caroline Pitcher, K...

15/03/2024

The Creators 2024 Participants Announced

15 03 2024 - Media release The Creators 2024 Participants Announced The Creators program recipients. L-R Thomas Duncan-Watt, Vanessa Gazy, Sarah Lambert, Lea...

13/03/2024

Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan

13 03 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces dramas Critical Incident and Sunny Nights for Stan Critical Incident: Akshay Khanna and Zoe Boe. Photo c...

28/02/2024

Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects

28 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $810,000 in development funding for 29 projects Willy Screen Australia has announced 23 feature fi...

27/02/2024

Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair

27 02 2024 - Media release Michael Ebeid AM appointed as new Screen Australia Chair Michael Ebeid AM and Megan Brownlow The Hon. Minister for the Arts, Tony...

21/02/2024

Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce Applications Open for UNTAPPED 2024

21 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and Australians in Film Announce App...

15/02/2024

Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs

15 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $560,000 for crew and gamemaker skills programs Liz Keogh Palmer (Australian Production Design Guil...

13/02/2024

Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US

22 01 2024 - Media release Six Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Six Australian screen projec...

12/02/2024

Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9

12 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and YouTube Australia Launch Skip Ahead 9 Uncovering Street Dance: Australia from Skip Ahead 8. Photographed by Ry...

08/02/2024

Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two

08 02 2024 - Media release Screen Australia and ABC announce Bay of Fires is back for season two Marta Dusseldorp as Stella in Bay of Fires ABC, Screen Austr...

22/01/2024

Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US

22 01 2024 - Media release Five Australian projects bound for South by Southwest Festival in the US Audrey, Birdeater, The Moogai Five Australian screen proj...

17/01/2024

Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Australia and ABC's new drama series Plum

17 01 2024 - Media release Brendan Cowell and Asher Keddie star in Screen Austra...

14/12/2023

Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of production funding for 11 projects

14 12 2023 - Media release Screen Australia announces over $6.9 million of produ...