New docos funded for ABC, SBS.

Screen Australia recently announced $2.9 million in production funding for 10 documentary projects.

The slate of projects includes a new feature for the ABC about the Black Saturday bushfires titled Aftermath: Beyond the Firestorm, a new three-part series for SBS by Blackfella Films called First Wars, and The Australian Dream written by Stan Grant about AFL player Adam Goodes, with a focus on race, identity and belonging.

First Wars
3 x 51mins
Blackfella Films Pty Ltd
Producers Darren Dale, Jacob Hickey
Director Rachel Perkins
Writer Jacob Hickey
Broadcaster SBS
Synopsis A powerful documentary series that tells the story of Australia’s frontier conflicts.

Marry Me, Marry My Family season two
3 x 60mins
Cordell Jigsaw Productions Pty Ltd
Executive Producers Andrew Farrell, Michael Cordell
Series Producer Sophie Meyrick
Broadcaster SBS
International Distributor TCB Media
Synopsis Love, heartbreak, colour and chaos! The amazing story of cross-cultural weddings in Australia.

Aftermath: Beyond the Firestorm
1 x 57mins
Renegade Films (Australia) Pty Ltd
Producers Lucy Maclaren, Joe Connor, Ken Connor
Director / Writer Tony Jackson
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis In 2009, the Black Saturday bushfires, Australia’s worst peacetime disaster, killed 173 people. What happened in the Aftermath?

The Hunt
1 x 60mins
Ruby Entertainment Pty Ltd with Robot Army Productions Pty Ltd
Producers Stu Ross, Stephen Luby, Mark Ruse
Director / Writer Stu Ross
Synopsis With too many sightings to ignore, The Hunt explores the evidence of a wild big cat population in the Australian bush, and the colourful characters who have dedicated their lives to proving their existence, despite society labelling them as crazy.

Future Dreaming
1 x 42mins (VR)
Stuart James Thomas Campbell t/a Sutu Eats Flies
Producer Robyn Marais
Executive Producer / Director / Writer Stuart Campbell
Synopsis An immersive Virtual Reality documentary that brings to life the future dreams of four Australian Aboriginal youth.

The Victoria Project
1 x 90mins
DNX Media Pty Ltd
Producers Ruth Cross, Simon Nasht, Jennifer Peedom, John Smithson
Executive Producer Stuart Menzies
Director / Writer Jennifer Peedom
Synopsis Undisclosed at this time

The Australian Dream
1 x 90mins
Good Thing Productions Company Pty Ltd, Passion Pictures
Producers Nick Batzias, John Battsek, Sarah Thomson, Virginia Whitwell
Executive Producers Paul Wiegard, Andrew Ruhemann
Director Daniel Gordon
Writer Stan Grant
Synopsis The Australian Dream is a theatrical feature documentary that uses the remarkable and inspirational story of AFL legend Adam Goodes as the prism through which to tell a deeper and more powerful story about race, identity and belonging.

Bright Lights: The Perils of the Pokies
1 x 10-15mins
Marhaba Films Pty Ltd
Producer / Director / Writer Charby Ibrahim
Executive Producers Helen Gaynor, Jennifer Peedom
Synopsis A 25 year addiction to the pokies has cost Sharon almost everything… and very nearly her life. A short animated documentary on the perils of an Australian pokies addiction.

Rone
1 x 30mins (VR)
Lester Francois Sole Trader
Producers Anna Brady, Lester Francois
Director / Writer Lester Francois
Synopsis A distinctive portrait of the street artist Rone, whose stunning large-scale portraits of women’s faces can be found adorning soon to be forgotten spaces.

Storm in a Teacup
1 x 60mins
Artemis Media Pty Ltd
Producers Celia Tait, Nia Pericles
Executive Producer Celia Tait
Director / Writer Nia Pericles
Broadcaster ABC
Synopsis An intimate portrait of renowned Western Australian Artist Leon Pericles as he faces his biggest challenge.