The Guardian have announced, in collaboration with Screen Australia, the four projects that have been selected to receive funding from their joint initiative announced in August last year: The Big Wait, Los Rambos, Operations from the Bottom and Where the River Runs Red. All four films have been created by early career filmmakers, covering both local and international stories.
The four documentaries will be available to stream for free on The Guardian’s websites in 2019, which will be accessible to a global audience via one of the world’s leading English based news outlets.
Liz Stevens, Senior Manager of Documentary at Screen Australia commented on the news, saying “Working with The Guardian for this initiative is an excellent way to provide Australian documentary filmmakers with a direct pathway to an international audience. We are thrilled that the successful projects will contribute a distinctly Australian voice to The Guardian’s rapidly expanding content offerings.”
As the originally intended to fund was limited to just three projects, it was later extended to four due to the impressive quality of the numerous applications. All films selected will be between 15 and 30 minutes long.
Here’s a look at the films:
Corrugated Films presents The Big Wait (WA) from writer/director Yannick Jamey producing alongside Melissa Hayward and Pete Gleeson. The documentary will revolve around a couple tasked with maintaining a remote emergency airstrip and a tiny nearby ‘township’ in the middle of a bland and dangerous desert, an overwhelming space that becomes both their salvation and their damnation.
Pursekey Productions presents Lost Rambos (NSW, VIC) from writer/director Chris Phillips and producer Michaela Perske. The documentary will centre around the ever-evolving nature and issues of tribal fights in the highlands of Papua New Guinea since the introduction of automatic weapons to their society.
JOTZ Productions presents Operations from the Bottom (NSW) from writer/director Gemma Quilty and producer Tom Zubrycki. The film will follow the path of a young African entrepreneur and his group of friends who dream of planning and hosting some of the biggest dance parties Western Sydney has ever seen.
Gravy Productions presents Where The River Runs Red (QLD) from writer/director Brodie Poole and producer Nicholas Flynn. Set in a small mining town located in regional Tasmania who has closed their economic centrepiece, the Mt Lyell Mine, the documentary will follow the various locals who attempt to change their mining town into a town with a mine in it, as idea for the future make this endeavour increasingly difficult.
The Guardian and Screen Australia are providing a total of $165,500 in order to fund production for the four projects. For more information on Screen Australia’s continued funding support, you can click here.
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