18 10 2017 - Media release Sidney Nolan, Afghan rock music and our rainbow pioneers
Photo of Sir Sidney Nolan Michel Lawrence
Screen Australia has announced funding for five documentaries through the Documentary Producer program. The projects include a portrait of celebrated Australian artist Sir Sidney Nolan; life as an elder of the LGBTQI community; the story of the first national women's rugby league team from Papua New Guinea (PNG); and a look at the disconnect between education and culture as told through the eyes of children from Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
Screen Australia's Senior Manager of Documentary, Liz Stevens, noted this round is testament to the department's commitment to diversity. From Afghanistan to Alice Springs to Papua New Guinea this slate is rich in scope. Whether presenting Australian perspectives on international stories or examining issues at home, these documentaries explore universal themes of education, culture, sport, and our ageing population. We're particularly pleased to see experienced producers working with emerging talent, and directors Maya Newell and Travis Beard embedding themselves in communities to capture stories with great authenticity.
The funded Documentary Producer projects are:
Observational feature documentary Kids, which will follow 10-year-old Arrernte boy Dujuan in Alice Springs both into and beyond the school gates as he navigates the cultural divide in education, offering a chance to see learning and success in a new light. It's produced by award-winner Sophie Hyde with Rachel Edwardson, Larissa Behrendt and executive producer Felicity Hayes. Rising talent Maya Newell (Gayby Baby) will produce as well as direct. This project has also secured support from Good Pitch Australia and the Documentary Australia Foundation.
Flaming Star Films' Nolan the Man and the Myth, a celebration of one of Australia's best known modern artists, Sir Sidney Nolan. Taking viewers on an epic visual journey, this one-hour special will explore Nolan's life and iconic paintings from the early years through his stellar international career, and all the success and turmoil that came with it. Produced by Lavinia Riachi; executive produced by Julia Peters and Sharyn Prentice; and written and directed by Emmy nominated Sally Aitken, this documentary will be broadcast on the ABC and internationally on the BBC and has also received Film Victoria support.
Underdog story Power Marys, which follows the journey of PNG's first national women's rugby league team, the PNG Orchids, to the 2017 World Cup in Australia. These trailblazers must not only beat their opponents but also intense prejudice, a lack of funding, and their own personal demons. The Media Stockade feature comes from experienced producers Madeleine Hetherton and Rebecca Barry who will mentor video journalist Joanna Lester as she makes her directorial debut. This project has also secured funding from the US Department of State via the US Embassy, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the National Rugby League (NRL) and ABC International Development.
Immersive feature documentary Rockabul, which takes a look inside a decimated nation to witness the birth, rise and implosion of Afghan rock music. Directed and produced by first-timer Travis Beard an Australian resident of Afghanistan Rockabul is also produced by Brooke Silcox; co-produced by Christian Falch and Torstein Parelius; and executive produced by Eddie Martin, Leslie Knott, Clementine Malpas and Faith No More band member Bill Gould.
The Coming Back Out Ball, an examination of the issues faced by an ageing, often invisible generation of LGBTQI pioneers. Set against the backdrop of a spectacular ball held in their honour, this feature documentary will follow a group of LGBTQI elders who are faced with the uncertainty of life in aged care. Produced and directed by Sue Thomson alongside producers Adam Farrington-Williams, Roger Monk and Tristan Meecham; and executive produced by Michael McMahon, Tony Nagle and Shaun Miller.
In addition to the titles outlined above, Screen Australia's documentary department has also provided funding to three other projects in 2017/18 through the Documentary Commissioned program. These are: Making Child Prodigies, 100 Days to Victory and HERoes.
Kids Dujuan and Megan / Photo credit Maya Newell
Related MaterialsDownload PDF
Go to image gallery
Media enquiries Jane Alexander | Senior Publicist
61 2 8113 5833 | 61 400 940 682 | jane.alexander@screenaustralia.gov.au
Clio Anne Ellis | Publicist and Events
61 2 8113 1091 | 61 450 492 745 | clio.ellis@screenaustralia.gov.au
All other general/non-media enquiries Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | info@screenaustralia.gov.au
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
18 10 2017 - Media release Sidney Nolan, Afghan rock music and our rainbow pioneers 
