Documentary News

Factual News Kylie Boltin 23 May 2012

Samsara set for Australian release

In more Cannes Market News, the 70mm documentary Samsara has sold to Hopscotch for Australian and New Zealand distribution. Filmed in 25 countries on five continents, Samara is Ron Fricke's follow-up documentary to his 1992 non-narrative feature Baraka, also shot on 70mm film. He has described the film as “guided meditation on the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.”

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Factual News Kylie Boltin 22 May 2012

Robert Altman documentary announced

In Cannes Film Market news, production is set to begin on Altman, a feature documentary on American film director Robert Altman (1925 - 2006) to be directed and produced by filmmaker Ron Mann. Completion date is scheduled for mid-2013. Accompanying the documentary will be a touring exhibit, an illustrated companion book and film soundtrack. Mann and his team are seeking a buyer at Cannes.

Factual News Kylie Boltin 15 May 2012

Sheffield Doc/Fest and BANFF schedules are out

The major festivals, Sheffield Doc/Fest and BANFF World Media Festival have announced their 2012 schedules.

Factual News Kylie Boltin 11 May 2012

Go Back to Where You Came From wins prestigious Rose d’Or award

The SBS series Go Back to Where You Came From (Cordell Jigsaw Productions Pty Ltd., Screen NSW for SBS Television/ Australia) has won a prestigious international award, the Golden Rose for Best of 2012 at the Rose d’Or Festival in Lucerne, Switzerland a global entertainment television festival founded in 1961.

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Factual News Kylie Boltin 11 May 2012

Adam Yauch's legacy

Founding member of the Beastie Boys, filmmaker and film distributor, Adam Yauch died this week of cancer. He was 47 years old.

Factual News Kylie Boltin 9 May 2012

The Up Series returns: 56 Up!

Yes, it’s time. Seven years have passed since the last Up! instalment.

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Factual News Kylie Boltin 7 May 2012

Dave Grohl to Direct and Produce 'Sound City' Documentary

Dave Grohl. The man can do no wrong. He’s now set to direct and produce a documentary, Sound City about the San Fernando Valley recording studio, where Nirvana recorded Nevermind (1992).

Factual News Julia Scott-Stevenson 4 May 2012

Gaming the real world

An increasing number of webdocs being created are taking their design inspiration from the world of gaming.

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Factual News Julia Scott-Stevenson 1 May 2012

The bleeding edge of television comes to Sydney

Some of the television I’ve seen at past ‘Best of Input’ days includes a mockumentary about young Neo-Nazis, animations that made me cry in under three minutes, a Japanese variety show with an obstacle course for people with disabilities, a harrowing update on oppression in Iran, and a Scandinavian chat show on which the presenter gets the closest thing there is to a male pap smear on camera.

Factual News Kylie Boltin 20 Apr 2012

Industry News: Marley to stream widely

Kevin Macdonald’s documentary, Marley about the late musical icon, Bob Marley releases in the USA on April 20th. According to the Associated Press, the film is the first to be released in U.S cinemas, video-on-demand and Facebook simultaneously.

Factual News Julia Scott-Stevenson 18 Apr 2012

Webby Awards

The Webby Awards People’s Voice categories are now open for voting by the public, so if you’re looking for some serious online rabbit holes down which to while away an afternoon, sign up to vote and start checking out some of the sites nominated. Think of it as a curated journey through the best of the web. There is a ridiculous number of award categories across websites, interactive advertising, mobile and apps, and of course most interesting: online film and video.

Factual News Kylie Boltin 11 Apr 2012

Jiro Dreams of Sushi breaks $1-million mark

David Gelb’s debut feature, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about the art of sushi and Japan’s foremost master of the craft, Jiro Ono, has become the first documentary to break the $1-million (US) domestic box office for 2012.

Factual News Kylie Boltin 10 Apr 2012

Bully wins ratings battle

The Weinstein Company (TWC), Lee Hirsch and millions of teens across the US have something to celebrate. After weeks of wrangling, Bully is set to be released in the US with a PG-13 rating.

Factual News Julia Scott-Stevenson 9 Apr 2012

PressPausePlay screening in Sydney

The documentary PressPausePlay is first cab off the rank for the new Cake Film Series, a monthly cultural film screening night in Sydney. The documentary looks at the digital media explosion and examines what increasingly democratised cultural production means for content. The film series is a collaboration between Cake Wines, FBi Radio and Metro Screen, and PressPausePlay will screen on Thursday 19th April at FBi in Alexandria. Tickets here.

Factual News Julia Scott-Stevenson 2 Apr 2012

Life In Movement on general release

Life in Movement, the award winning Australian documentary about dancer and choreographer Tanja Liedtke, will be getting a general release next month. The film won the Foxtel Australian Documentary Prize at last year’s Sydney Film Festival and has screened around the world to overwhelmingly positive reviews. Life in Movement opens on April 12, see here for participating cinemas around Australia.