Airdate: Untold Australia

Next month SBS screens three documentaries on Australian subcultures under the banner of Untold Australia.

Indian Wedding Race looks at  young Indian-Australians trying to find love, while A Modern Mutiny looks at the struggling government of Norfolk Island. Finally, Strictly Jewish profiles the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community of Adass Israel in Melbourne.

SBS Director of Television and Online Content, Marshall Heald said: “SBS is known for the essential role it plays in giving a voice to Australians from all different walks of life and social and cultural backgrounds. Untold Australia goes deep inside some of our country’s unknown subcultures to introduce audiences to these lesser-known communities and their way of life.

“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes heart-warming and at all times eye-opening, Untold Australia invites all Australians to witness the intimate moments and challenges faced by these real-life characters and demonstrates SBS’s commitment to increasing awareness of the contribution a diversity of cultures has to the continuing development of modern Australian society.”

This intriguing three-part commissioned series will premiere on Wednesday, 13 April at 8.30pm on SBS with ‘Indian Wedding Race’, a humorous and heartfelt look at the real-life journey of two 29-year-old Indian-Australians, Dalvinder and Tarun, as they each embark on a franticly amusing adventure to find love and get married before they turn 30, while juggling the pressures from their very traditional parents and cultural expectations.

From online dating with their dads to seeking guidance from astrologers, speed dating to matchmakers, and even the notion of a ‘modern’ arranged marriage, Dalvinder and Tarun are willing to try anything on their journey to find true love. Capturing every step of the way on this emotional rollercoaster, this is a rare and close-up look at the world of Australia’s Indian community as it intimately explores with humour and warmth the pressures and vulnerability that these young people face as they race to make it to the temple on time.

Next in the series is ‘A Modern Mutiny’, a fascinating exploration of the remote Australian external territory Norfolk Island, which will air Wednesday, 20 April at 8.30pm on SBS. Sitting 1500 kilometres off the east coast of Australia, this local population which descended from the legendary Bounty mutineers is one of Australia’s most isolated communities. But recent hard times have forced the island to reach out to Australia for help, and with mainland help comes mainland rules. When an outsider is sent to help govern this self-ruled society, the stage is set for a modern day mutiny.

Finishing off the series is ‘Strictly Jewish’ on Wednesday, 27 April at 8.30pm on SBS. For the first time in Australia’s television history, cameras have been allowed inside the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel Jewish community in Melbourne. Following three of the members of this reclusive sect, the documentary offers a unique insight into how this hidden subculture exists alongside Melbourne’s trendy latte society, as they attempt to maintain their age-old rituals in the face of contemporary frivolities. The 2000-plus members of this virtually self-sufficient society have their own shops, schools, butcher, baker, synagogue, cemetery, and even have their own ambulance service! Filmed over the Jewish calendar year 5775*, this is a fascinating exploration into how the conservative Adass Israel community strive to maintain their ancient faith in a modern world.

Untold Australia is a commissioned documentary series produced for SBS with the assistance of Screen Australia. ‘Indian Wedding Race’ was produced by 360 Degree Films with assistance from Film Victoria, and Screen NSW provided assistance for both ‘A Modern Mutiny’, produced by Heiress Films, and ‘Strictly Jewish’, produced by Mint Pictures.

Begins Wednesday, 13 April at 8.30pm on SBS.