Thirteen documentaries by students from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) will launch exclusively on SBS On Demand from Monday 1 June.
The partnership between AFTRS – Australia’s national screen and audio school – and SBS On Demand is now in its fifth year of successfully presenting this curated showcase of student documentaries.
Offering distinctive perspectives of the world around them from the next generation of Australian filmmakers, the AFTRS Documentary Showcase is an exciting opportunity for second-year Bachelor of Arts Screen: Production students to show their work to a nationwide audience.
The films are the result of a production brief to create short-form documentaries that reflect contemporary Australia, in all its diversity.
Spanning a compelling range of stories, voices and perspectives, the documentaries are a mix of formats and narratives and include: a mixed-media animated documentary exploring the mysterious occurrence of glowing orbs in the remote Australian outback; an intimate family portrait contemplating the experience of growing up with same-sex parents; an exploration of a Palestinian-Australian man who uses his love of the ocean to stay connected to his homeland through a program that brings joy and hope to the children of Gaza; and an observational study of the collaborative process between a rapper and a music producer as they compose melody and harmony.
Shadow of Hope, written and directed by Mitchell Nielsen – which tells the story of a young Burmese man struggling to escape the weight of a brutal and unforgiving military coup – recently screened at the Rochester Film Festival in New York, and will be part of this year’s Melbourne Documentary Film Festival and the Lighthouse International Film Festival.
La Piazza has also been selected for the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival; and Phenomena will screen in the International Animation Showcase of the Revelation Perth International Film Festival.
SBS On Demand and SBS World Movies programmer Alex Walkden said: “SBS On Demand is proud to continue our partnership with AFTRS, showcasing a new wave of Australian short documentaries from the country’s next generation of storytellers. Rich in insight and originality, these films sit proudly alongside the world-class slate available to our audience, with exceptional talent shining through in authentic, diverse and thought-provoking stories told with purpose and fresh perspective.”
AFTRS Director, Production & Facilities, Darren Chau said: “SBS provides our AFTRS students with an industry commissioning brief, Network editorial feedback and distribution pathways to audiences via SBS On Demand. We’re so incredibly proud of this wonderful partnership and initiative with SBS which is unparalleled in tertiary screen education, developing and amplifying the voices of these top emerging storytellers across the leading platform for world-class diverse stories.”
The AFTRS Documentary Showcase will be available to stream free from 1 June on SBS On Demand here.
CREW
Dreams Deferred
Set in an audition room, aspiring actress, Mary, exposes her passion for performance and the emotional toll of the craft, in the hopes that sharing her truth will land her the role.
Featuring – Mary Caldwell
Writer/Director – Charli Waite
Producer – Scarlett Reid
Cinematographer – Aryan Gorasia
Production Design – Georgie Altclass
Editor – Campbell Hyam
Sound – Kesh Bates
First AD – Charlotte McLaverty
First Camera Assistant – Alec Turner
Gaffer – Gus Devylder & Felix Leung
Art Department assistant – Zali Hamilton
La Piazza
As the Italian Forum, the beating heart of Sydney’s Italian identity, fades from the public eye, three community members reveal why its soul still thrives.
Featuring – Nadia Nobili, Ernesto Meduri, Connie Tropiano
Writer/Director – Tahlia Sciarrone
Producer – Hazel Chidzanja
Cinematographer – Aryan Gorasia
Production Designer – Serafina Paletto
1st AD – Georgie Altclass
Sound Recordist/Designer – Scout Van Der Merwe
Composer – Robert Hislop
Gaffer/Cam Operator – Tyler Kang
1st AC/Cam Operator – Barney Wilson
Best Person – Charli Waite
Editors – Aryan Gorasia, Tahlia Sciarrone
Made With Love
Director Max O’Connor Hurni crafts an intimate portrait of his family. Tracing its history, exploring how it shaped his identity, and reflecting on his experience growing up with same-sex parents.
Featuring – Anne Hurni, Pauline O’Connor
Director – Max O’Connor Hurni
Producer – Mina-Siale Latukefu
Cinematographer – Ronak Suthar
1st AD – Lola Bennett
Sound Recordist/Composer – Cooper Hill
Gaffer/Cam Operator – Keara Levett
Art Director/Cam Operator – Jenna Coghill
Production Designer/Cam Operator – Scout Van Der Merwe
Editor – Abhishek Tarafdar
My Blood is Palestinian
A Palestinian-Australian man, born and raised in Gaza, uses his love for the ocean to stay connected to his homeland, founding the Gaza Nippers program to bring joy and hope to the children of Gaza.
Director – Nazar El Tobgy
Producer – Eamon Alwakal
Cinematographer – Dominic Taffa
1st AD – Alyssa Newman
Editor – Ronak Suthar
Assistant Producer – Hazel Chidzanja
Assistant Cam Operator – Alana O’Donnell
Chief Lighting Technician – Abhishek Tarafdar
Production and Sound Designer – Lavanya Wickramasinghe
Sound Recordist – Frederick Burg
Composer – Ahmed Alwakal
Runner – Jermal Ibrahim-Haas
Phenomena
Phenomena is a mixed-media animated documentary that delves into the legend of the Min Min Lights, mysterious glowing orbs seen in the remote Australian outback. Blending storytelling, folklore, and Indigenous perspectives, the film traces eerie historical accounts and global parallels, unravelling a phenomenon that transcends science, myth, and imagination.
Directors – Emily Blake, Izel Searle Garduno
Writer – Izel Searle Garduno
Writing assistance – Emily Blake
Producer – Ella-Maree James
1st AD – Lisa Coleman
Cinematographer – Serafina Paletto
1st Assistant Camera – Jon Copson
Gaffers – Emilio Broodryk, Gabriel Pamintuan
Production Design – Madeleine Hill, Ella-Maree James
Costume Design – Conor Mccoy
Timelapse Artist – Loclan Fisher
Head Of Shadow Puppetry – Emily Blake
Art Assistants – Luan Harvison-Riberio, Conor Mccoy, Dane Ferguson, Lisa Coleman
Head of Animation – Izel Searle Garduno
Animators – Emily Blake, Matthew Kain
Music Composition and Performance – Sophia Foster
Sound Design – Izel Searle Garduno
Sound Recordist – Dane Ferguson
Edited – Emily Blake
VFX – Dane Ferguson, Lavanya Wickramasinghe
Shadow of Hope
Far from home, a young Burmese man struggles to escape the weight of a brutal and unforgiving military coup, threatening both his nation’s freedom and its very survival.
Writer/Director – Mitchell Nielsen
Cinematographer – Manila
Editor – Frederick Burg
Music By – Aubik
Sound Designer and Sound Recordist – Finn Thomas
1st AD and B-Cam Operator – Liam Budai
Snow
Erica recounts memories of her father’s life working around the Snowy Hydro across the 1950s, sharing personal experiences of mental illness, sacrifice and family in mid-century Australia.
Director – Jon Copson
Writer – Matthew Kain
Producer – Lisa Coleman
Cinematographer – Loclan Fisher
Editors – Daniel Rosa Cabrita and Jon Copson
Lead Animation – Matthew Kain
Background Animation – Frederick Burg
Soundtrack – Quentin Kain
Sound Recording – Emily Blake
Production Design – Alexia Georgiou-Anderson
Stroke of Luck
An observational exploration of merging counterparts, the creation of melody and harmony – two joining to become one in the collaborative process of the musical composition between rapper Yibby and music producer Zarni. SOL (Stroke of Luck) is a poetic slice of life reflecting on the symphony, that is, Sydney’s Inner West music scene.
Director – Emilio Broodryk
Producer – Lola Bennett
Cinematographer – Gabriel Pautiman
1st AD – Conor McCoy
Editor – Loclan Fisher
Sound Design/Recordist – Alexander Laycock
Writing Assistant – Toby Rabinowitz
Designer/Graphics Animator – Izel Searle Garduno
Gaffer – Luan Harvison Ribeiro
The Creative Dilemma
Pushing past the stigma, romanticism and AI-fuelled fear, two experienced creatives speak about the reality of pursuing an artistic career in the Australian industry.
Writer/Director – Sofie Mae
Producer – Annabelle Miller
Cinematographer – Tin Win Hlaing
1st AD – Miriam Arnold
Editor – Jacob Lea
Assistant Cam Operator – Callum Hamdorf
Gaffer – Tin Win Hlaing
Production Designer – Lauchlan Gilbert, Sofie Mae
Sound Recordist – Max Reidy
Screen Music – Henry Shwe
VFX – Jacob Lea, Sofie Mae
The Mic and The Gun
A Kenyan teacher-turned-radio host navigates political upheaval and personal peril when his broadcasting career takes him to Ethiopia during a violent military coup.
Writer/Director – Rebecca Muya
Producer – Alex Laycock
Cinematographer – Liam Budai
1st AD – Jayden Hall
Editor – Luan Harvison Riberio
Production/Costume Designer – Tahlia-Jade Sciarrone
Sound Recordist – Mitchell Nielsen
The Street With No Name
In the heart of Sydney, there is a forgotten street called the street with no name, which locals claim is haunted by past mysterious murders that occurred nearby. This documentary unearths a chilling question – are these murders mere coincidence, or is something more sinister lurking beneath the surface?
Featuring – Heather Jones, Robin Queree
Writer/Director/Producer – Leticia Ng
Producer – Deanna Stevens
Cinematographer – Jenna Coghill
Production Design – Sofie Mae
Editor – Cooper Hill
Sound Recordist – Cooper Hill
Composer – Deanna Stevens
First AD – Miriam Arnold
First Camera Assistant – Kalliopi Nicholas
Gaffer/Second Camera Assistant – Steven Chan
Twenty Summers Later
Blending verbatim performance with personal testimony, this film undertakes a creative exploration of the 2005 Cronulla riots, as well as unpacking our nation’s continuing discussion around race and identity.
Writer/Director – Charlotte McLaverty
Co-Director – Alyssa Newman
Producer – Daniel Rosa Cabrita
Associate Producer – Alyssa Newman
Cinematography – Dominic Taffa
Editors – Dominic Taffa, Alyssa Newman, Arjun Sankar Hariharasuthan
1st AD – Nazar El Tobgy
Music – Aredi Vrontas
Sound Recordist – Callum Hamdorf
Sound Assist – Aredi Vrontas
Sound Design – Aredi Vrontas
1st Assistant Camera – Marco McGill
Gaffer – Eamon Alwakal
Production Design – Mina-Siale Latukefu
When Cells Turn
When Cells Turn dives deep into two powerful journeys, Belinda’s battle with breast cancer and Eliza’s life shaped by loss. This raw, emotional story shatters myths and reveals the urgent truth about a disease that can touch anyone, at any time.
Writer/Director – Deanna Stevens
Producer – Leticia Ng
Cinematographer – Marco McGill
1st AD – Alexander Forrest
Production Designer – Leticia Ng
Editor – Anya Dunstone
Sound Recordist – Nicholas Moroney
Sound Designer – Anya Dunstone
Music – Deanna Stevens
