Media releases - 0 Screen Australia invests $.4 million in seven Signature Documentary projects

Screen Australia today announced over $1.4 million investment in seven documentary projects through the Signature Documentary Program, generating almost $3.5 million in production.

Documentary projects approved include The Frackman, directed by Richard Todd and written by John Collee and Sarah Rossetti, which follows the adventures of an anti-coal seam gas campaigner and his filmmaker friend. The film is produced by Trish Lake, Simon Nasht and Richard Todd.

Producer/Director Tom Zubrycki's new documentary Back to Ground Zero has also been supported. It is a story about a Sudanese refugee living in Sydney who returns home to build a school in his village, which has been devastated by 29 years of civil war, and a group of Australian friends who help him in his quest.

Produced by Pat Fiske and directed by Amin Palangi, Love Marriage in Kabul follows the extraordinary quest of an Afghan-Australian woman, as she negotiates and challenges old traditions to make a love marriage happen in Kabul. The film is co-produced by Sanaz Fatouhi and Amin Palangi.

Filmed over eight years, Ordinary Wonderlands is the stranger-than-fiction story of the world's first real-life superheroes, from writer/director Penny Vozniak and producer Karina Astrup.

From co-producer, writer and director Jeff Daniels and executive producer Jeni McMahon, Mother with a Gun follows the matriarch of a bloody terrorist organisation who chooses to hang up her gun and walk away.

Speaking at the Think Big Documentary Masterclass at the Sydney Film Festival today, Screen Australia's Documentary Manager Liz Stevens said, These filmmakers have devoted a lot of time and creative energy to their projects before applying for funding and their stories are well developed and as strong as the characters they reveal. Screen Australia is pleased to be able to offer support through the prestigious Signature Documentary Program, which for the first time includes two web-based projects.

Kim Jong-Il Interactive Cinema Experience (KJILCE) is an interactive journey through the world of North Korean cinema, which enables users to share and learn about the film methodology of Kim Jong-Il and make their own films. The project is produced by Dan Fill and Frank Verheggen and written by Anna Broinowski.

Transmedia producers of the award winning online documentary project Big stories, Small Towns, Anna Grieve and Martin Potter, will once again work with filmmakers and communities to produce inspiring local stories that are central to their lives and relevant to the world in Big Stories, Small Towns: Asia Pacific. Martin Potter is the creative director and Nick Crowther is the online producer of the project.

The Signature Documentary Program provides production funding for projects that are bold in form and content. The stories can be local or international but they must have an Australian team with a strong vision and the potential for national and international acclaim. This program is unique in that it doesn't require marketplace attachment.

Projects can be produced for the big screen or as i-docs, interactive web experiences or multi-platform transmedia experiences. They might use innovative storytelling methods like augmented reality, geolocation, mobile apps and collaboration.

For more information visit:

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

SIGNATURE DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM

BACK TO GROUND ZERO

90 mins

JOTZ Productions

Producer/Director Tom Zubrycki

Synopsis A story about a Sudanese refugee living in Sydney who returns home to build a school in his village, which has been devastated by 29 years of civil war. A group of Australian friends resolve to assist him in this quest.

THE FRACKMAN

90 mins

Freshwater Productions Pty Ltd

Producers Trish Lake, Simon Nasht, Richard Todd

Writers John Collee, Sarah Rossetti

Director Richard Todd

Sales Cargo Entertainment

Distributor Hopscotch

Digital Marketing GetUp!

Synopsis The adventures of anti-coal seam gas campaigner The Frackman and his filmmaker mate.

LOVE MARRIAGE IN KABUL

85 mins

Bower Bird Films Pty Ltd

Producer Pat Fiske

Co-producers Sanaz Fatouhi, Amin Palangi

Director Amin Palangi

Synopsis Love Marriage in Kabul follows the extraordinary quest of an Afghan-Australian woman, Mahboba Rawi, as she passionately negotiates and challenges old traditions to make a love marriage happen in Kabul.

MOTHER WITH A GUN

75 mins

Rebel Films Pty Ltd

Executive Producer Jeni McMahon

Co-producer/Writer/Director Jeff Daniels

Sales The Film Sales Company

Synopsis The matriarch of a bloody terrorist organisation chooses to hang up her gun and walk away.

ORDINARY WONDERLANDS

85 mins

House of Gary Pty Ltd

Producer Karina Astrup

Writer/Director Penny Vozniak

Synopsis Filmed over eight years, Ordinary Wonderlands is the stranger-than-fiction story of the world's first real-life superheroes.

SIGNATURE DOCUMENTARY PROGRAM: INTERACTIVE

BIG STORIES, SMALL TOWNS: ASIA PACIFIC

Big Stories Co

Transmedia Producer Anna Grieve, Martin Potter

Online Producer Nick Crowther

Creative Director Martin Potter

Synopsis Big Stories, Small Towns: Asia Pacific is a multi-platform documentary project working with filmmakers and communities across the region to produce inspiring local stories that are central to their lives and relevant to the world.

KIM JONG-IL INTERACTIVE CINEMA EXPERIENCE (KJILCE)

Chocolate Liberation Front

Producers Dan Fill, Frank Verheggen

Writer Anna Broinowski

Synopsis An interactive journey through the world of North Korean cinema, enabling users to share and learn about the film methodology of Kim Jong-Il and make their own films.

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_130607_signa...
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