From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & NITV Original series Moonbird to feature at Series Mania 2025
14 February, 2025
Media releases
Upcoming SBS and NITV Digital Originals series, Moonbird, will premiere on the international stage at the prestigious TV festival, Series Mania, next month.
The series, set on a remote island off the coast of Lutruwita (Tasmania), exploring Palawa culture and the tradition of muttonbirding, has been announced as one of eight to be featured in the Short Forms Competition this year, and the third Digital Originals series to be selected for the festival held annually in Lille, France.
Now in its fifth year, Digital Originals is a partnership between SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and Screen Australia to develop exciting, innovative and risk-taking short-form dramas to premiere on SBS On Demand, SBS VICELAND and NITV, from emerging screen creatives who are currently under-represented in the sector.
Moonbird (6 x 10 minutes) is one of three new Digital Originals that will premiere in 2025, announced last year alongside Pasifika led series, Moni, and Western Australian production, Warm Props.
Moonbird is a co-production between the first-ever Tasmanian Aboriginal screen production company, Kutikina Productions, and Sheoak Films. Produced by Catherine Pettman and Adam Thompson, the series explores the relationship between a recently sober father and his son who attempt to reconnect through a traditional muttonbirding season on a remote Tasmanian island only to face cultural and personal crises that threaten their relationship and force them to confront their family's disturbing history. The compelling series is directed, co-created, and co-written by Nathan Maynard, and co-created and co-written by Adam Thompson.
Bundjalung actor, Lennox Monaghan (Windcatcher), plays Sonny Beeton, a 13-year-old Palawa boy navigating the complexities of his world, joined by Badimya-Yamiji and Noongar actor, Kyle Morrison (The Visitors, Sydney Theatre Company; Romeo & Juliet, Bell Shakespeare; Macbeth, Bell Shakespeare, Heartland), as Sonny's father, Aaron Cracka' Beeton, a man shaped by his past and the challenges of raising his son. The cast also includes Nick Farnell (Prey, Thai Cave Rescue, The Newsreader, The Dry), as Frank The Skipper'.
Principal production funding has been provided from Screen Australia in association with SBS, with support from Screen Tasmania. Developed with assistance of Screen Australia and SBS.
Moonbird's selection at Series Mania follows previous Digital Originals to be featured at the festival, with Latecomers shown in competition in 2023, and Iggy & Ace in 2021.
Following the announcement, series co-writer and producer, Adam Thompson, said: Moonbird is a deeply personal story that explores relationships, resilience, and cultural connection in a way that feels both intimate and universal. We're thrilled to premiere at Series Mania and share this uniquely Tasmanian story with an international audience. Bringing Moonbird to life has been an incredible journey, made possible by an amazing cast and crew who have poured their talent and dedication into this project. I'm proud to share this story with the world.
Producer, Catherine Pettman, added: Premiering Moonbird at Series Mania is an incredible opportunity to showcase our work on a global stage. We're excited to connect with international audiences and find the right home for the series beyond Australia.
SBS Head of Scripted, Nakul Legha, said: Congratulations to the team behind Moonbird for this incredible recognition. Moonbird is a uniquely powerful and distinctive Australian series that rightly deserves to shine on the global stage at Series Mania. It is further affirmation of the ambition and quality of our short form original series through Digital Originals, which continues to launch a new wave of Australia's most exciting storytellers.
Head of Commissioning and Production for NITV, Dena Curtis, added: Moonbird is a beautifully crafted and compelling story centred in the ancient tradition and cultural practice of muttonbirding. We can't wait to see it shared with a global audience, alongside other series from around the world, at Series Mania this year. Digital Originals continues to play an important role in supporting the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander creatives, and elevating First Nations stories. Good luck to all involved.
Screen Australia Head of Online and Games, Lee Naimo, said: Digital Originals continues to be a springboard for emerging creators to grow their skills and bring diverse Australian stories to screen. From the early stages of scripts and pitching, the team behind Moonbird have created an evocative and distinctively Australian story that is compelling and authentic. Through the Digital Originals workshops and development, the unique voice of Moonbird has been elevated, demanding attention on the world stage. I'm delighted to see it recognised and celebrated at Series Mania.
Manager of Screen Tasmania, Alex Sangston, also added that it was thrilling to see a local Tasmanian production be invited to an international television festival. Series Mania is the most prestigious television festival in the world, so to screen the first production from a Palawa-run company telling the story of a Tasmanian Aboriginal cultural practice is incredibly special, to say the least. I am pleased that diverse Tasmanian stories such as Moonbird are being shared with international audiences, and I can't wait for local audiences to view the series when it airs later this year, Mr Sangston said.Digital Originals was created to elevate talent historically under-represented in the sector, including people who identify as culturally and linguistical
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/07/2026
Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has announced the appointment of Kathy Samuels ...
01/07/2026
Shade has announced Custom Objects and Automations, a platform expansion releasing June 29, 2026, that adds database and workflow automation capabilities direct...
01/07/2026
FOR-A America has announced the addition of Jaz Wray and Fernando Cruz to its U.S. sales team. Both report to Ernie Leon, Senior VP and Head of Sales and Strate...
01/07/2026
NBC Sports will air all 15 MLB games nationally on Sunday, July 5, across NBC, P...
01/07/2026
Clear-Com has announced a wireless communications upgrade for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, deploying FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems across both prod...
01/07/2026
England's performance team will use Sony's STATSports APEX GPS tracking system to monitor player physical data in real time during FIFA World Cup 2026 m...
01/07/2026
Adder Technology has announced the appointment of Neil Hillier as Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2026. Hillier succeeds Adrian Dickens, who transiti...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. has announced a strategic transaction creating two separate companies. The Production and Playout business will continue as Bitcentral, now own...
01/07/2026
DAZN has announced results from DAZN48, its creator initiative for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Launched in April 2026, the program received thousands of applicatio...
01/07/2026
Sarah Rose, VP, global services, Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT), will be inducted into the Information Display and Entertainment Association (IDEA) Hall of Fame at t...
01/07/2026
Gravity Media and the World Economic Forum's production team provided broadc...
01/07/2026
Insight Productions has announced the launch of Insight Storm, a 53-foot mobile broadcast unit built for esports production. The truck is built around a Ross Vi...
01/07/2026
ESPN has announced several content initiatives marking America's 250th anniversary, as part of The Walt Disney Company's Disney Celebrates America pro...
01/07/2026
Eleven production kits, REMI workflows, and cloud distribution bring 40 World Cu...
01/07/2026
The conference also discussed the opportunities offered an industry that is endu...
01/07/2026
The Mountain West Conference has announced the launch of MW , a direct-to-consumer streaming platform powered by Kiswe. The platform will carry live Mountain We...
01/07/2026
New AI Assistant, Multi-channel Audio, ARA2 improvements & more
Tracktion's DAW software has just received its latest major update, gaining a selection ...
01/07/2026
Stammering, stuttering, strangulated tones
The Crow Hill Company's latest creation promises to be the most original sound set they've produced to d...
01/07/2026
Exclusive run of limited-edition modelling pedals
Sweetwater and Andertons M...
01/07/2026
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Manfrotto Introduces UNCOVER, the new premium camera bag collection for modern h...
01/07/2026
Blackmagic Design Powers Houston Tamil Sangam Literacy Competition
Brie Clayton July 1, 2026
0 Comments
Volunteers use ATEM Mini Pro, Blackmagic Desig...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
PlayBox Technology has published State of Broadcast Infrastructure 2026, an in-depth industry research report examining the technologies, operational challenges...
01/07/2026
LONDON, UK, 1 JULY Jigsaw24 has appointed Alan Henry as Head of Sales for Media and Entertainment, reinforcing its continued investment in helping broadcaster...
01/07/2026
Content Vault, the patent-pending secure content distribution platform protecting high-value media from disclosures, theft and unauthorised access, today announ...
01/07/2026
Bitcentral, Inc. a leading provider of enterprise software and digital media solutions for news, sports and entertainment broadcasters, as well as streaming pla...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
01/07/2026
Groundbreaking First Nations Screen Business Accelerator launched through nation...
01/07/2026
Chyron Launches the All-New Chyron Academy: A Reimagined, Hands-On Learning Expe...
01/07/2026
Amplium Captures Kawasaki Brave Thunders Game with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersiv...
01/07/2026
Boris FX Optics Expands Plugin Support to Apple Photos, Capture One, and Affinit...
01/07/2026
Sky Zero Footprint Fund-backed TV campaign featuring Deborah Meaden challenges consumers to rethink everyday bathroom wasteWednesday 1 July 2026
Fussy asks Bri...
01/07/2026
Constituency-level analysis reveals where girls miss out most on sport - and where targeted action could unlock more than £640 million in economic and health be...
01/07/2026
Wuppertal July 1, 2026
Riedel and SKAARHOJ Expand Collaboration With SimplyLive IntegrationRiedel Communications today announced an expanded collaboration wit...
01/07/2026
Apple today introduced power-packed updates to Apple Creator Studio, a groundbre...
01/07/2026
Nectar360, the Retail Media, Loyalty and Insights business of the Sainsburys Gro...
From an island off the coast of Lutruwita to the global stage in France SBS & NITV Original series Moonbird to feature at Series Mania 2025 
