SBS on Demand, DocPlay: AFTRS Showcase

The Australian Film Television and Radio School has again partnered with SBS On Demand, and now DocPlay, to showcase student documentaries.

SBS On Demand is presenting 14 short documentaries, with a 15th – Of the Last Reel in Front of You – to be added after its world premiere at the Sydney Film Festival later this month.

These short-form works from AFTRS Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production students were created in response to a brief to explore culture and unique identity. The results promise to take audiences into a range of worlds and perspectives: from the Māori art of tā moko, into the life of a death doula, and onto Biripi and Gumbaynggirr Country with environmental activists.

Richard Welch, AFTRS Discipline Lead, Documentary, emphasised the broader impact of these partnerships: “Collaborating with SBS On Demand and DocPlay allows us to bring our students’ exceptional work to a wider Australian audience. This initiative not only showcases the technical prowess and storytelling abilities of our students but also enriches the Australian documentary landscape with fresh, compelling narratives. We are excited for Australians to engage with these powerful stories and see the diverse talent we are cultivating.”

AFTRS Documentary Showcase on SBS On Demand

SBS On Demand & World Movies Channel Manager, Haidee Ireland said: “SBS On Demand are proud to partner with AFTRS to bring this collection of diverse, entertaining and uniquely Australian stories to our audiences. We are so impressed with the talent of the emerging creatives showcased this year, and can’t wait for their fantastic short-films to join our offering of world-class documentaries and series on SBS On Demand. The talent coming through AFTRS every year is undeniable, and we value the opportunity to support the next generation of Australian documentary makers through our ongoing partnership with AFTRS.”

Heroyam Slava
Ukrainian-Australian activist Sasha Bilanovsky reflects on her time volunteering at a Ukrainian refugee camp in Poland and the connection she fostered with Ukrainian children that she cared for.
Director, Eleni Thomas
Writer, Eleni Thomas and Alexandra (Sasha) Bilanovsky
Producer, C.Sean Cheng
Cinematographer, Lucie Spencer

It’s A Drag
Showcases Universal Sydney’s iconic drag queen Champagne as she goes through the glitz, glam and drag of being one of the most recognisable people around Sydney’s famous queer hub, Oxford Street.
Starring Champagne
Directed and written By Dion Rhys Carrothers
Produced By Monique Placko

Knitting the Revolution
Australia’s coal seam gas extraction has an opponent that was never expected: the Knitting Nannas, and their unlikely weapon, a pair of knitting needles.

Maya The Illusion of Home
Amid the shadows of exploitation, a Fiji-Indian grandmother’s journey illuminates the resilience of her ancestors, the impermanence of home, persisting expectations, and the transformative power of faith in the face of generational adversity.
Writer / Director Tavishek Sharma
Producer Suvipra Vaidya
Cinematographer Megan Paige Gray, Melika Azimi

Mother and Their Daughters
Women in Sydney are given the space to discuss their relationship with their mothers with no shame or judgement.
Directed by Amy Auwardt
Produced by Sharni Lee
Cinematogrpahy Lauren McConnell

The Mother of the Markets
For 40 years, the Salvo family has served the farmers of the Sydney flower markets with cappuccinos, toasties and tiramisu. At the centre of this operation is Valentina, who breathes life into the markets with infectious positivity.
Director Flynn Boffo
Writer Flynn Boffo
Producer Casey McCosh
Cinematographer Sidney Im
Featuring: Valentina Salvo, Angelo Salvo, Francesco ‘Jr’ Zullo

Must Thank Sally
On a farm in Borenore, NSW, Sally and Timmy’s journey through life’s ups and downs reveals a simple yet powerful truth, that love, laughter and a sense of the ridiculous have the magic to mend hearts and rewrite our past.
Director Jessica Bennett
Writer Jessica Bennett
Producer Ella Keough
Cinematographer Max Norington
Featuring, Sally Offner Timothy Offner, Francois Labanie

Ode to an End
Denise Love has been a death doula for 20 years. She serves dying people as a non-medical professional, working to make death and grief a more supported and realised experience for both the dying person and those around them.
Director, Layla Philippou
Cinematography Ruby Reardon

Of the Last Reel in Front of You
A short hybrid documentary that follows a film projectionist, Alan Butterfield, as he reminisces the past and present.
Writer Director Yan Geng
Producer Wentian Jin
Cinematographer Tom Xiao

Our Inked Identity
Practising the art of tā moko an ocean away from his New Zealand roots, Rangi Maika shares his experience with the art form and what it means for the revival of Māori culture and Māori people, even those in their now Australian home.
Director Jaida Ngawaka
Producer Cooper Kahui-Chee
Cinematographer Melika Azimi

P.R
As an Italian-Australian filmmaker joins an Italian immigrant to cook their nonna’s favourite recipes, they start bonding over their shared challenges migrating to Australia and the sacrifices to make it happen.
Writer Director Enrico Lerda
Producer Wentian Jin
Cinematographer Peter Christoffersen

Rock Steady
Amongst the stunning Biripi and Gumbaynggirr Country, environmental activists and a determined ecologist on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia face the imminent threat of logging that looms over the remaining native forests.
Director Lauri Jones-Male
Producer Ali Wildberger
Cinematographer/ Sound/ Editor Grant Hardwick

Rough Edges
Chronicles Andrew’s journey through homelessness where the transformative power of faith, spirituality, and the support of the Rough Edges charity converge to shed light on a story of resilience, hope, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.
Writer Director – Lewis Coote
Producer – Mackenzie Callan
First Assistant Director – Gabriel Thurley
Editors – Lewis Coote & Olivia Tremul
Cinematographer – Akamjot Singh

Tell Me About Your Mother
Rosh Veera, a proud Sri Lankan-Malay woman, cooks a traditional meal and talks about her mother’s journey of leaving her home country to immigrate to Australia.
Director, Casey McCosh
Writers, Casey McCosh & Riti Ramanujachari
Producer, Michaela Chung
Cinematographer, Fletcher Turale

Worth Fighting For
Explores the journey of Adrian Mouhajer, an aspiring MMA fighter from Lakemba, New South Wales, as they battle with gender stereotypes and economic hardships, shaping their determination to challenge family and societal expectations.
Director Barney Wilson
Producer Jude Palmer Rowlands
Cinematographer Olivia Tremul

AFTRS First Cut on DocPlay

Rufus Richardson, DocPlay Executive said, “As Australia’s only dedicated documentary streaming service, DocPlay is thrilled to partner with AFTRS in bringing this collection of entertaining and informative short-form documentaries to Australian audiences. The quality of emerging talent in this showcase stood out to us from the start, and the filmmakers have explored a diverse range of topics and issues with empathy, compassion and insight. It was a pleasure to collaborate with the team at AFTRS, who share our commitment to championing Australian stories, and we look forward to sharing more AFTRS documentaries with DocPlay audiences in the future.”

AFTRS First Cut, streaming on DocPlay, offers viewers a captivating selection of five shorts crafted by Master of Arts Screen students. This collection invites audiences to discover a diversity of experiences: from a portrait of Australian poet Robert Adamson, and a refugee-run soccer club, to the inspiring story of Dave, who made it his mission to save a million lives.

The Kingfisher’s Soul
A love story between one of Australia’s leading contemporary poets, Robert Adamson, and celebrated photographer Juno Gemes.
Directed by Sophie Alstergren |Cinematography by Pete Moses | Editing by Elita G. | Music by Carla Dobbie

Hotline
An insiders look at the anti-abortion protestors who run a crisis hotline for pregnant women in trouble.
Directed by Cassandra Charlton | Cinematography by T. Oxford | Editing by Rhianna Miles | Music by Robert Hislop

Last Goal Wins
Feeling the impact of Australia’s refugee policy, a group of Tamils form a community as they organise weekly football matches in Western Sydney and support each other through life’s challenges.
Directed by Zebedee Parkes | Cinematography by Ali Rezvani | Editing by Jack Needle

One in a Million
CPR instructor, Dave Winner experienced a surfing accident in 2021. After being brought back to life, Dave has made it his mission to teach one million people CPR for free by 2030. Backed by his community, Dave strives to overcome his physical condition to run his first free CPR class.
Directed by Dylan Nicholls
Cinematography by Luke Torrevillas

She; Who Lives
Set in a day on a local train, the film is about the fears and dreams of migrant mothers through the lens of displacement.
Directed by Ayesha Farooq
Produced by Tace Stevens and Ayesha Farooq
Cinematography by Hamish Gregory