High school student Sadie Harper and her younger sister Sawyer are reeling from the recent death of their mother and aren’t getting much support from their father, Will, a therapist who is dealing with his own pain. When a desperate patient unexpectedly shows up at their home seeking help, he leaves behind a terrifying supernatural entity that preys on families and feeds on the suffering of its victims. “The Boogeyman,” directed by Rob Savage (“Host”) with a screenplay by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods (“A Quiet Place”) and Mark Heyman (“Black Swan”) and a screen story by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods based upon the short story by Stephen King, stars Sophie Thatcher (“Yellowjackets”), Chris Messina (“Birds of Prey”), Vivien Lyra Blair (“Obi-Wan Kenobi”), Marin Ireland (“The Umbrella Academy”), Madison Hu (“Bizaardvark”), LisaGay Hamilton (“Vice”), and David Dastmalchian (“Dune”). The producers are Shawn Levy (“Stranger Things”), Dan Levine (“Arrival”), and Dan Cohen (“The Adam Project”), with John H. Starke (“Sicario”), Emily Morris (“Rosaline”), Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, Ryan Cunningham, Adam Kolbrenner (“The Tomorrow War”), and Robin Meisinger serving as executive producers.
The trailer for 20th Century Studios’ and 21 Laps’ horror-thriller The Boogeyman,” is here. “The Boogeyman,” a horror-thriller from the mind of best-selling author Stephen King, opens June 1, 2023, exclusively in cinemas. Check out the trailer below:
Disney+ is the dedicated streaming home for movies and shows from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more, alongside exclusive Disney+ Originals. This post provides updates on upcoming original films and series, the latest episodes, and new library titles joining the service in the U.S.
Wednesday, January 4
– The Boonies (S1) – Locked Up Abroad (S12) – Lost Treasures of Egypt (S4) – Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (S2) – Primal Survivor: Over the Andes (S1) – Small & Mighty (S1) – Underworld, Inc. (S1, S2)
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – 2-Episode Season 2 Premiere – Episode 201 “Spoils of War” and Episode 202 “Ruins of War” When the new season opens, months have passed since the events on Kamino, and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places.
National Treasure: Edge of History – Episode 5 “Bad Romance” Trust no one on a treasure hunt. Jess begins to wonder if this is true as she suspects someone close to her might’ve leaked an important clue to Billie, but she doesn’t want to believe it. While Tasha uses her tech skills to ferret out the mole, Jess realizes the key to the next step in the treasure hunt is locked in the Rare Books Room at the Governor’s mansion, leading Jess and her friends to plot a caper during the Governor’s Ball, where Jess’s trust in her friends will be tested.
Willow – Episode 7 An epic period fantasy series with a modern sensibility set in an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty, “Willow” features a diverse international cast with Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers. The story begins with an aspiring magician from a Nelwyn village and an infant girl destined to unite the realms, who together helped destroy an evil queen and banish the forces of darkness. Now, in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, the adventure continues as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.
Friday, January 6
– Strangest Bird Alive
Wednesday, January 11
–Airport Security (S4, S5, S6, S7, S8) – Best in Bridal (S1) – Bride & Prejudice (S1) – Celebrity Ghost Stories (S5, S6) – Evil Genius (S1) – My Ghost Story (S1) – SuperKitties (S1, 11 episodes)
Chasing Waves – All Episodes Streaming In the wake of surfing’s Olympic debut in Tokyo, “Chasing Waves” shines a spotlight on the people and places defining Japan’s global surf culture reach. This character-driven documentary series follows multicultural athletes in pursuit of their dreams, paints a captivating picture of Japanese life, and showcases what it takes to succeed in the international surf industry.
Gina Yei – All Episodes Streaming Gina, a cheerful and creative girl, dreams of writing songs. Thanks to her lyric-writing abilities, she gets the chance of a lifetime when she wins a scholarship to the prestigious Caribbean Music Institute (CMI) on the island of Puerto Rico. It’s the best place in the world to study Latin music and the birthplace of reggaeton.
National Treasure: Edge of History – Episode 6 “Frenemies” Not knowing who’s good and who’s bad, Jess works with Billie and deciphers a hundreds-year-old clue that points to a famous 18th-century landmark. Together they plan an impossible heist during a historic reenactment to retrieve the next piece of the treasure map. But things don’t go as planned, and Jess is ultimately faced with the most difficult decision of her life.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 203 “The Solitary Clone” When the new season opens, months have passed since the events on Kamino, and the Bad Batch continues their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places.
Willow – Episode 8 An epic period fantasy series with a modern sensibility set in an enchanted land of breathtaking beauty, “Willow” features a diverse international cast with Jonathan Kasdan, Ron Howard, Wendy Mericle, Kathleen Kennedy, and Michelle Rejwan serving as executive producers. The story began with an aspiring magician from a Nelwyn village and an infant girl destined to unite the realms, who together helped destroy an evil queen and banish the forces of darkness. Now, in a magical world where brownies, sorcerers, trolls, and other mystical creatures flourish, the adventure continues, as an unlikely group of heroes set off on a dangerous quest to places far beyond their home, where they must face their inner demons and come together to save their world.
Wednesday, January 18
– Chibi Tiny Tales (Shorts) (S3, 14 episodes) – Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Funhouse (S2, 5 episodes) – Me & Mickey (Shorts) (S1, 13 episodes) – Night Stalkers (S1) – Secret Life of Predators (S1)
King Shakir Recycle – Premiere Scientists trying to solve the environmental crisis of pollution devise a way to send the collected garbage into space via rocket ships. When this garbage starts to land on alien planets, the outraged aliens head to Earth for revenge. King Shakir and his family must do their best to protect the world from alien destruction.
National Treasure: Edge of History – Episode 7 “Point of No Return” Jess sacrifices everything to confront her dad’s killer to find the last piece of the map. But that meeting rocks her world as she learns that nothing is what’s expected on a treasure hunt, propelling her to make a dangerous decision that could land her in prison for life.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 204 “Faster” When the new season opens, months have passed since the events on Kamino, and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places.
Friday, January 20
– Ocean’s Breath – Sharkatraz
Wednesday, January 25
– Bloody Tales of Europe (S1) – Dino Ranch (S2, 6 episodes) – Hacking the System (S1) – Riding Britain’s Railways (S1)
Mila in the Multiverse – Premiere Mila is 16 years old and living the adventure of her life traveling through the multiverse in search of her mother, Elis. As she travels, she will come face to face with The Operators, a mysterious and dangerous group that wants to exterminate all universes. She will have to face them in order to save the vast multiverse.
National Treasure: Edge of History – Episode 8 “Family Tree” It’s a matter of life and death when Jess and her friends embark on their most impossible caper yet. Meanwhile, Liam teams up with his grandpa’s home care nurse, Myles, in a desperate attempt to bring down Billie and her secret organization before they harm Jess.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – Episode 205 “Entombed” When the new season opens, months have passed since the events on Kamino, and the Bad Batch continue their journey navigating the Empire after the fall of the Republic. They will cross paths with friends and foes, both new and familiar, as they take on a variety of thrilling mercenary missions that will take them to unexpected and dangerous new places.
Friday, January 27
– American Blackout – Challenger Disaster: Lost Tapes – T. Rex Autopsy
“Utterly nerve-shredding… Grips you from the very first frame.” Dead Northern
This Friday, the 13th, descend into terror with AFTER SHE DIED – a new award-winning Australian horror movie. Follow the story of Jen, a grieving teenager who’s horrified to discover that her father’s new girlfriend looks identical to her dead mother.
After its successful VOD release in North America, the film will be expanding globally on January 13th. To celebrate the global release date, a new trailer is now online and available for sharing:
The film is available for pre-order, including 45 minutes of bonus content and an audio commentary from writer/director/producer Jack Dignan. More information about the release can be found at www.aftershedied.com
A screener is available for review upon request.
The film won Best Australian Feature and Best Australian Feature Performance (Vanessa Madrid) at 2022’s A Night of Horror International Film Festival.
Sharmill Films, in partnership with Bonsai Films, has today announced the release date for KNOWING THE SCORE, a biopic documentary following the career of Simone Young, an inspiring, brilliant woman who made it to the top in a man’s world, wielding her wit, determination, sense of humour and baton.
Set to open in select Australian cinemas from February 16, Knowing the Score will have its world premiere at Randwick Ritz on Sunday 5 February followed by a Q&A with Young.
New York, London, Paris, Berlin, Simone Young has conquered them all in the most male dominated of professions, a Conductor of Opera and Classical Music. The girl from Manly beach, now a woman with so many firsts to her name, she’s tired of the whole “woman” title that follows her around. Knowing the Score captures the career of a great conductor, its challenges and triumphs, past, present and into the future.
Knowing the Score is directed by Janine Hosking, with Serendipity Productions’ Margie Bryant producing alongside Cate Blanchett as executive producer.
KNOWING THE SCORE WILL BE RELEASED IN CINEMAS ON 16 FEBRUARY 2023
This article was sourced from a media release sent by Nixco
The latest James Cameron blockbuster “Avatar: The Way of Water” has amazingly gone past the $1 billion mark in global ticket sales in just a mere 14 days. According to a report from Variety, it has become the fastest movie this year to hit the box office milestone.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ is the fastest movie to hit $1 billion at the box office since Spider-Man: No Way Home, which needed 12 days in total to get there. Variety further confirms that only three films released in 2022 passed the billion-dollar mark. It took 31 days for “Top Gun: Maverick” to clear $1 billion at the box office; meanwhile, it took more than four months for “Jurassic World Dominion” to join the elite club.
Variety further confirms that the film has generated $317.1 million in North America and $712.7 million overseas, resulting in a global tally of $1.025 billion, which moved past “Jurassic World Dominion” as the second highest-grossing movie of the year, and the third highest of the pandemic era.
“Avatar” stars Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, and Sigourney Weaver, and it follows the Sully family as they head underwater to battle the elements and keep the Na’vi safe from humans. Other cast members include Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco, and Jemaine Clement.
Award-winning First Nations filmmaker Warwick Thornton’s spiritual drama The New Boy wraps this week in regional South Australia, with major production funding from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department alongside Fremantle and Gretel Packer’s Longbridge Nominees, who join producers Kath Shelper for Scarlett Pictures; and Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton, Georgie Pym and Coco Francini for Dirty Films.
Newcomer Aswan Reid has been cast in the titular role, alongside Blanchett, Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair. An ensemble of new faces, including Shane Brady, Tyrique Brady, Laiken Woolmington, Kailem Miller, Kyle Miller, Tyzailin Roderick and Tyler Spencer, round out the cast.
Set in 1940s Australia, The New Boy is the story of a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy (Reid) who arrives in the dead of night at a remote monastery, run by a renegade nun (Blanchett), where his presence disturbs the delicately balanced world in this story of spiritual struggle and the cost of survival.
Screen Australia’s First Nations Department provides major production investment in association with Screen NSW and the South Australian Film Corporation. Roadshow Films is handling distribution in Australia and New Zealand.
The First Nations Department first backed the project in development over a number of years.
Screen Australia’s Head of First Nations, Angela Bates, said: “We are proud to support the masterful Warwick Thornton together with an experienced creative team and talented cast on this film. With a subtle yet powerful script, The New Boy is a genre defying film that explores spirituality, culture and colonisation in a way we haven’t seen on screen before. I have no doubt it will resonate with audiences around the world.”
The film is produced by Shelper for Scarlett Pictures, Blanchett, Upton and co-producer Pym for Dirty Films, and De Maio (of De Maio Entertainment), with Francini serving as executive producer for Dirty Films alongside Packer for Longbridge Nominees.
Christian Vesper, President of Global Drama, Fremantle, commented, “The New Boy is a powerful story from the cinematic genius of Warwick Thornton, and we are honoured to collaborate with an outstanding group of actors and exceptional creatives to tell this compelling story. We all take this responsibility seriously and acknowledge that the power and success of The New Boy lies in the reclamation of Indigenous narratives and perspectives, where audiences from around the world can reflect and have meaningful conversations about the struggles for survival.”
Lorenzo De Maio, De Maio Entertainment added, “It’s an incredible joy to partner with Dirty Films, Scarlett Pictures, Longbridge Nominees, Screen Australia and Fremantle, to bring this extraordinary film to audiences worldwide and to support First Nations storytelling. Warwick Thornton has crafted a film with unique beauty and power, anchored by the incomparable Cate Blanchett, Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair, alongside a cast of truly talented and inspiring young actors.”
Gretel Packer commented, “I am thrilled to be part of this magical project. It is both a heartbreaking and heart-warming story, being brought to the screen by such a brilliant team of passionate and talented artists. It is a privilege.”
Thornton is one of Australia’s most celebrated filmmakers, most notably for his critically acclaimed Sweet Country, for which he won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival and the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2017; and Samson And Delilah, for which he won the Caméra d’Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Both films won the AACTA Award for Best Film. His authentic lens highlights him as one of cinema’s most treasured voices.
CAA Media Finance and UTA are handling sales for North America and The Veterans are on board to manage sales for the remainder of the globe.
The Australian Academy of Cinema Television Arts (AACTA) is proud to announce the full list of AACTA Award winners, including the public-voted Audience Choice Award winners and AACTA Trailblazer Recipient. Sonia Kruger, Mark Coles Smith, and the cast of Heartbreak High were among the stars to walk the carpet at the star-studded ceremony as the industry came together to honour Australia’s best and brightest screen talent.
Elvis and Mystery Road: Origin led the winners at the 2022 AACTA Awards Ceremony presented by Foxtel Group. Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis was the biggest winner of the night, taking home four additional Awards, including the coveted award for Best Film, Best Direction in Film presented by Filmology Finance (Baz Luhrmann), Best Lead Actor (Austin Butler), and Best Supporting Actress in Film (Olivia DeJonge). Elvis dominated the AACTA Industry Awards on Monday with 7 wins, bringing the total AACTA Award count to 11.
In television, Mystery Road: Origin received an additional 3 AACTA Awards, including Best Drama Series, as well as Best Lead Actor (Mark Coles Smith) and Actress (Tuuli Narkle) in a Drama presented by Foxtel. After receiving 4 AACTA Awards during Monday’s Industry Awards, Mystery Road: Origin leads the TV Award categories with a total of 7 AACTA Awards.
Another big winner of the evening was internet-sensation Heartbreak High. The teen drama swept all 3 of their eligible public-voted Audience Choice Award categories, including Best TV Show, Best Actor (Bryn Chapman), and Best Actress (Chloe Hayden). The Audience Choice Awards continued with Kat Clark crowned Best Digital Creator and Abbie Chatfield given the title of Australia’s Best TV Personality.
Chris Hemsworth was last night’s recipient of the Trailblazer Award. The AACTA Trailblazer Award highlights the achievements, abilities, and success of an Australian screen practitioner who inspires others in the industry. Hemsworth was honoured for his outstanding career and contribution to the Australian screen industry as one of the most famous residents of the NSW North Coast; Hemsworth has used his position and status to attract global productions to Australia, creating jobs and opportunities for hundreds of local screen practitioners and championing the Australian film industry.
Check out the full list of 2022 AACTA Award Winners below:
TELEVISION
AACTA Award for Best Children’s Program: Bluey – Charlie Aspinwall, Sam Moor, Daley Pearson – Ludo Studio (ABC)
AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Tyson Perkins
AACTA Award for Best Comedy Performer: Tom Gleeson – Hard Quiz
AACTA Award for Best Comedy Program: Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell – Peter Beck, Beth Hart, Shaun Micallef – ITV Studios Australia (ABC)
AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Television: Heartbreak High (Episode 1) – Rita Carmody
AACTA Award for Best Direction in Drama or Comedy: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Dylan River
AACTA Award for Best Direction in Nonfiction Television: You Can’t Ask That (Episode 1) – Kirk Docker
AACTA Award for Best Documentary or Factual Program: Miriam Margolyes Australia Unmasked – Laurie Critchley, Bethan Arwel-Lewis – Southern Pictures (ABC)
AACTA Award for Best Drama Series: Mystery Road: Origin – Greer Simpkin, David Jowsey – Bunya Productions (ABC)
AACTA Award for Best Editing in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Nicholas Holmes
AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program: LEGO® Masters Australia – David McDonald, Di Yang, AJ Johnson – Endemol Shine Australia (Nine Network)
AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program: Old People’s Home for Teenagers – Debbie Cuell, Tony De La Pena, Paulo Vivan, Brooke Hulsman – Endemol Shine Australia (ABC)
AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Presented by Foxtel: Mark Coles Smith – Mystery Road: Origin
AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Presented by Foxtel: Tuuli Narkle – Mystery Road: Origin
AACTA Award for Best Lifestyle Program: Gardening Australia – Gill Lomas – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
AACTA Award for Best Miniseries: The Twelve – Hamish Lewis, Ian Collie, Ally Henville, Rob Gibson, Michael Brooks – Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia and Easy Tiger Productions (Binge, Foxtel)
AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Television: Savage River (Episode 1) – Bryony Marks
AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Television: The Tourist (Episode 1) – Scott Bird
AACTA Award for Best Reality Program: MasterChef Australia – David Forster, Eoin Maher, Simon Child – Endemol Shine Australia (Network 10)
AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Television: Heartbreak High (Episode 1) – Hannah Carroll Chapman
AACTA Award for Best Sound in Television: Mystery Road: Origin (Episode 3) – Luke Mynott, Wes Chew, Trevor Hope, Dylan Barfield
AACTA Award for Best Stand-Up Special: Ronny Chieng: Speakeasy – Ronny Chieng – All Things Comedy and Netflix (Netflix)
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama: Thomas Weatherall – Heartbreak High
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama: Brooke Satchwell – The Twelve
FILM
AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in Film: Elvis – Mandy Walker
AACTA Award for Best Costume Design in Film: Elvis – Catherine Martin
AACTA Award for Best Direction in Film presented by Filmology Finance: Elvis – Baz Luhrmann
AACTA Award for Best Editing in Film presented by Spectrum Films: Elvis – Matt Villa, Jonathan Redmond
AACTA Award for Best Film: Elvis – Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick, Schuyler Weiss – Bazmark
AACTA Award for Best Indie Film: A Stitch In Time – Sasha Hadden (Dir.) – Hadden Motion Pictures
AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in Film: Austin Butler – Elvis
AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress in Film: Leah Purcell – The Drover’s Wife The Legend of Molly Johnson
AACTA Award for Best Original Score in Film: Falling For Figaro – Cezary Skubiszewski
AACTA Award for Best Production Design in Film: Elvis – Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Beverley Dunn
AACTA Award for Best Screenplay in Film: The Stranger – Thomas M. Wright
AACTA Award for Best Sound in Film: Elvis – David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson, Michael Keller
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in Film: Sean Harris – The Stranger
AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Film: Olivia DeJonge – Elvis
SHORT FILM
AACTA Award for Best Short Film: Finding Jedda – Tanith Glynn-Maloney – Since1788 Productions, Unless Pictures, Orange Entertainment Co
DOCUMENTARY
AACTA Award for Best Cinematography in a Documentary: Facing Monsters – Rick Rifici
AACTA Award for Best Documentary: River – Jennifer Peedom (Dir.), Joseph Nizeti, Jo-anne McGowan, John Smithson – Stranger Than Fiction Films
AACTA Award for Best Editing in a Documentary: We Were Once Kids – Shannon Swan
AACTA Award for Best Original Score in a Documentary: River – Richard Tognetti, William Barton, Piers Burbrook de Vere
AACTA Award for Best Sound in a Documentary: Facing Monsters – Jeremy Ashton, Ric Curtin, Xoe Baird
DIGITAL
AACTA Award for Best Digital Series or Channel: A Beginner’s Guide to Grief – Anna Lindner, Renee Mao, Linda Ujuk, Kate Butler, Julie Byrne
AACTA Award for Best Digital Short Video: Daddy Long Legs – Dr. Karl
OTHER
AACTA Award for Best Casting Presented by Casting Networks: The Twelve – Kirsty McGregor
AACTA Award for Best Hair and Makeup presented by HASK: Elvis – Shane Thomas, Louise Coulston, Mark Coulier, Jason Baird
AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation: Elvis – Tom Wood, Fiona Crawford, Julian Hutchens, Joshua Simmonds, Adam Hammond – Warner Bros. Pictures
INDIVIDUAL
2022 AACTA Trailblazer Award Recipient: Chris Hemsworth
2022 AACTA Longford Lyell Award Recipient: Catherine Martin
2022 AACTA Reg Grundy Award Recipient: Jayden James & George Harrington (Mr. Wolf), Rachel Kayrooz (Facing the Fear)
AACTA AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Film: Elvis
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best TV Series: Heartbreak High
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Actor: Bryn Chapman (Heartbreak High)
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Actress: Chloe Hayden (Heartbreak High)
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best TV Personality: Abbie Chatfield
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Digital Creator: Kat Clark
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Sports Program: Women’s Footy (Nine)
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Best Sports Commentary Team: 2022 AFL Grand Final (Seven)
SmartFone Flick Fest is Australia’s international smartphone film festival for filmmakers of all ages. They are a worldwide festival open to anyone with a smartphone or tablet and a great idea for a short film.
SF3 provides a platform for budding, emerging, and professional filmmakers to bring their ideas to life and have their films seen by a global audience without needing lots of fancy equipment or a big budget.
FilmCentral Magazine’s editor-in-chief was recently invited as a judge at SmartFone Flick Fest and here are some of the pics from the event:
Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky, and several other stars hit the red carpet at the Australian premiere of Crowe’s new film Poker Face, and StarCentral Magazine was invited to interview them.
Other cast members that came to the premiere included Daniel MacPherson, Matt Nable, Benedict Hardie, Steve Bastoni, Jack Thompson, Molly Grace, and Aden Young.
Several VIPs also came to premiere such as Natalie Imbruglia, Gabby Brooks, Ben Quilty, Lisa Wilkinson, Peter Fitzsimmons, Sam Burgess, George Burgess, Sophia Forrest, Danielle Spencer, and many more.
Check out some of the photos from the Australian premiere below:
Katia Krafft wearing aluminized suit standing near lava burst at Krafla Volcano, Iceland. (Credit: Image’Est)
The Southern Hemisphere’s premier industry forum and marketplace for documentary and factual content – the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) – today announces the first confirmed guests and theme for its 2023 conference. AIDC 2023 will take place in-person from 5-8 March 2023 at ACMI, Melbourne, followed by an online international marketplace, 9-11 March 2023.
American documentary filmmaker Sara Dosa, director of the award-winning feature doc Fire of Love (Nat Geo/Madman), about volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, is the first speaker to be announced for the 2023 line-up, and will lead AIDC’s Spotlight program with a very special In Conversation session. Fire of Love has recently been listed as a frontrunner in the 2023 Oscars race by Indiewire, Variety, and the Hollywood Reporter, and has recently been nominated for seven US Critics Choice Awards including Best Documentary Feature and Best Director.
Also confirmed is Delhi-based filmmaker and writer Shaunak Sen, whose feature documentary All That Breathes won the L’Oeil d’Or (Golden Eye) for the best documentary at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Sundance International Film Festival, and the Grierson Award in Documentary Competition at the BFI – London Film Festival. All That Breathes was selected for AIDC’s FACTory international pitching showcase in 2021 under the title Airborne and AIDC is thrilled to have Shaunak now join the conference as a speaker.
On the industry expertise front, Fatima Salaria, Managing Director of UK Production Company Naked Television, will bring her extensive knowledge of successful specialist factual and factual entertainment to Australian producers, having worked across programs like Grand Designs, 60 Days on the Streets, The Day I Picked My Parents, and the recently announced Planet Sex fronted by Cara Delevingne.
Rounding out the first speaker announcement is Emmy Award-winning Moroccan-American filmmaker Rita Baghdadi, director of the acclaimed feature doc Sirens, about an all-female thrash metal band in Lebanon. The documentary has been an audience favourite at Sundance, Tribeca, Melbourne and Sydney film festivals, and won awards at Outfest, Sun Valley and Florida film festivals. Rita is also the co-founder of Lady & Bird Films (Subject, Tribeca 2022), a highly sought-after cinematographer, and the director of award-winning documentaries My Country No More and City Rising.
AIDC 2023: AGENTS OF CHANGE
AIDC is proud to announce Agents of Change as the central theme for 2023, celebrating the people and the practices working to elevate documentary and factual storytelling. Through this theme, AIDC 2023 will highlight the changemakers of nonfiction storytelling, and bring focus to the champions of the craft leading the way for the creation of bold stories with real world impact.
AIDC CEO / Creative Director Natash Gadd, said, “During this time of cultural, political and social unrest, documentary filmmakers continue to document and explore the ever changing forces of the world around us. Far from passive observers, they are also active drivers of change both in the way we craft stories and the impact these stories create. AIDC’s 2023 theme, Agents of Change, spotlights the people, ideas and practices challenging and evolving the ways we create, share and experience nonfiction stories – from the visionaries to the provocateurs, innovators and iconoclasts. In a world of continuous disruption – both in our sector and society at large – join us at AIDC 2023 as we explore the legacy of those who paved the way, the new voices leading the charge, and what potential futures lie ahead!”
Under the theme Agents of Change, AIDC 2023 will explore the following subthemes through keynotes, industry panels and initiatives: Upcoming (new voices, new audiences), Breaking Ground (truth-telling, investigation and impact), Shifting Perspectives (craft, storytelling and representation), In Focus (advocacy, reform, ethics and integrity), and Future Horizons (innovation, technology, sustainability and regeneration).
AIDC INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACE
The 2023 AIDC Marketplace & Industry Program will once again provide the widest array of business and project development opportunities for documentary and factual practitioners.
Confirmed attendees include representatives from 40 high profile broadcasters, streamers, distributors, sales agents and funding bodies, like: A+E Networks (USA), ABC (Australia), American Documentary/POV (USA), ARTE G.E.I.E (France), Autlook Filmsales (Austria), BBC Storyville (UK), Blue Ice Docs (Canada), CAA Media Finance (USA), CAT&Docs (France), CBC (Canada), Cinetic Media (USA), Chicken & Egg Pictures (USA), Dhaka DocLab (Bangladesh), DocPlay (Australia), Doc Society (Australia), Docs by the Sea (Indonesia), Dogwoof (UK), EBS (South Korea), Fremantle Australia (Australia), Hot Docs (Canada), Java Films (France), Journeyman Pictures (UK), Lightdox (Switzerland), Madman Entertainment (Australia), NHK (Japan), NITV (Australia), Off the Fence (Netherlands), Paramount ANZ (Australia), Participant (USA), Prime Video (Australia), Reservoir Docs (France), Sandbox Films (USA), Seesaw Pictures (South Korea), Sheffield Doc/Fest (UK), Stan (Australia), Sunny Side of the Doc (France), The Whickers (UK), TRT World (Turkey), Words + Pictures (USA).
AIDC’s centrepiece international pitching showcase, The FACTory, presented by VicScreen, is currently accepting submissions, with projects sought across three strands; the Central Showcase (for projects in development with international potential); New Talent Showcase (for projects by early-career filmmakers); and Rough Cut Showcase (for projects seeking sales, distribution, and exhibition opportunities). Selected projects will pitch live to decision makers during AIDC 2023.
Meetings between industry guests and accredited producers will take place through Cut to the Chase, presented by Xe Money Transfer, AIDC’s curated meetings program for Business Pass and All Access Pass-holders. Cut to the Chase matches producers and their projects to the most relevant commissioning editors, acquisitions executives, distributors, sales agents, financiers and funders, with local meetings taking place during AIDC and international meetings arranged online.
Run during Cut to the Chase, the DocPlay Originals Pitch returns to give project teams the opportunity to pitch to Australasian streaming platform DocPlay with unique home-grown, docu-series projects seeking equity investment. Key genres sought include true crime, music, science, Indigenous stories, technology and sport, and projects with international appeal or international partners attached are encouraged to apply.
Also returning as part of Cut to the Chase is The Post Lounge Doc Pitch, designed to support a standout documentary or factual project with up to $30,000 worth of development investment through post-production, to be used for a sizzle, teaser or pilot. Producers are now invited to submit a feature, one-off or series in development across any genre from ob-doc to factual entertainment, archival or true crime.
AIDC AWARDS
Nominations are also sought for the 2023 AIDC Awards, recognising outstanding completed works of new Australian documentary and factual content across six categories: Best Feature Documentary, Best Documentary/Factual Series, Best Documentary/Factual Single, Best Short-Form Documentary, Best Audio Documentary ($3,000 cash prize presented by AFTRS), and Best Interactive/Immersive Documentary.
Capping it off is the Stanley Hawes Award, a $5,000 prize presented annually at AIDC for outstanding long-term contribution to the Australian documentary, factual or unscripted screen sector. The jury for the AIDC Awards will be announced next month, with 2023 AIDC Awards presentation taking place at ACMI on Wednesday 8 March 2023.
Building on a successful 2022 event, which saw over 640 Australian and international delegates take part, AIDC 2023 will continue to provide unparalleled networking, upskilling, and project development opportunities for a buoyant documentary and factual sector. Many more high-profile national and international speakers will be revealed soon.
“AN UNMISSABLE SCREEN EVENT”
Caroline Pitcher, CEO of VicScreen, said, “VicScreen has been a proud long-term partner of AIDC. The conference is an unmissable screen event – every year it uncovers striking ideas and inspires unforgettable filmmaking. VicScreen supported documentaries Clean and Franklin were previously pitched at the conference and have now both been nominated for Best Documentary at the 2022 AACTA Awards. We can’t wait to see the bold and meaningful stories come out of next year’s conference.”
Seb Chan, Director & CEO, ACMI, said: “Australia’s national museum of screen culture returns as a presenting partner of AIDC in 2023. The ACMI team takes enormous pride in supporting local and international documentary and factual practitioners to learn, network and be inspired via our state-of-the-art mutiplatform museum. Documentary and factual content creators are crucial to our understanding of a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world – supporting these practitioners to tell courageous stories has never been more important.”
Business Passes and All Access Passes for AIDC 2023 are now available, offering unlimited access to AIDC’s extensive marketplace and networking opportunities. AIDC has also released a Sessions Pass for those without marketplace needs, providing access only to the sessions program (to be revealed 25 January 2023).
Further announcements about AIDC initiatives and major new pitching opportunities will follow in the coming weeks, with the full session program to be revealed 25 January 2023. Registration for AIDC 2023 is now open via the website.
