SBS announces successful Australia Uncovered documentaries for 2022
SBS has selected several productions which will receive development funding, and is also exploring commissioning an additional program, as part of its Australia Uncovered single documentary strand, exploring diversity and equality in contemporary Australia.
Five projects were shortlisted from a high number of submissions received, with production teams participating in a live pitching session at the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) 2021 on Wednesday 3 March for a chance to share in development funds for documentaries, to be broadcast on SBS in 2022.
Australia Uncovered documentaries can range from one-hour to feature length, must have something compelling to say about Australia, and align with the SBS Charter. Filmmakers are encouraged to be creative in their approach to style, form and construct. Australia Uncovered launched with an inaugural call out for projects in 2020, and the first season of the strand will broadcast on SBS this year.
Joseph Maxwell, Head of Documentaries, SBS, said: “We’re thrilled to be investing in the development of this exciting and compelling mix of documentaries through Australia Uncovered, showcasing diversity and tackling issues in ways that connect so beautifully to our unique purpose at SBS.
“The calibre of the projects shortlisted this year was incredibly impressive, and the projects were brought to life through another successful live pitching session at AIDC 2021. We’d like to thank all of those who made submissions this year, and we look forward to seeing what untold stories we uncover through the Australia Uncovered strand in the future .”
Development funding has been awarded to the following projects:
The Carnival
You gotta thrill ‘em, not kill ‘em… The Carnival takes us into a curious, parallel world from another time as four generations of Bell’s family carnival take their show on the road.
Production company: Pony Films.
Key creatives: Isabel Darling (Director) and Dylan Blowen (Producer).
Reprotech
Over a casual dinner, investigative journalist Sarah Dingle learns that the much-loved man who raised her, and died when she was just 15, was not her biological father. Not only does she realise she’s a product of donor conception – she finds that the records of her conception have been deliberately destroyed – her biological father’s donor code has literally been cut out of medical paperwork.
Production company: SAM Content Pty Ltd.
Key creatives: Sally Aitken (Director) with Aline Jacques and Marianne Leitch (Producers).
Kids Raising Kids
Exclusive access inside a one-of-a-kind high school for teen parents.
Production company: Only Human.
Key creatives: Patrick Abboud (Director) and Marcus Costello (Associate Producer).
In addition to the selected projects receiving development funding, SBS would like to offer a commission to After Trauma, from Walking Fish and Good Thing Productions (with Lachlan Mcleod, Director, and David Elliot-Jones and Charlotte Wheaton, Producers), pending financing and release strategy details. After Trauma is a fly-on-the-wall insight into the world of trauma cleaning through the journey of charming transgendered business owner, Sandra Pankhurst, and the lives of a motley crew of workers at Frankston’s Specialised Trauma Cleaning Services (STC).
For a PDF version of this media release, click here.
About AIDC
The Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) is Australia’s premier event for documentary and factual content servicing the screen and digital media industries. A not-for-profit established in 1987, the organisation remains committed to the sustainability of non-fiction storytelling. Serving both the commercial and creative needs of the industry, AIDC organises a marketplace for documentary and factual product, showcases the work of Australian and international producers, and creates a forum to discuss content, craft, technology and future directions. AIDC’s goal is to connect creators, purveyors and viewers of non-fiction screen and digital media content in ways that promote business, inspire creativity and ignite social change.
AIDC 2021 ran from 28 February – 3 March 2021.
For regular AIDC updates, subscribe to the eNews.