For almost a century the town of Grafton, NSW, has celebrated the magnificence of its jacaranda trees with an inspired festival.In the 1880s a German immigrant planted imported Jacaranda tree seeds along the avenues of Grafton in northern NSW. In 1935 the tree-lined avenues were of such splendour that the council of the day decided to hold a festival to celebrate the blossoming of the trees and the arrival of spring. This program shows how this festival has become an annual event that includes the crowing of The Jacaranda Queen.
For almost a century the town of Grafton, NSW, has celebrated the magnificence of its jacaranda trees with an inspired festival.In the 1880s a German immigrant planted imported Jacaranda tree seeds along the avenues of Grafton in northern NSW. In 1935 the tree-lined avenues were of such splendour that the council of the day decided to hold a festival to celebrate the blossoming of the trees and the arrival of spring. This program shows how this festival has become an annual event that includes the crowing of The Jacaranda Queen.
2006-01-01
0
A compelling personal journey with David Stratton, as he relates the fascinating development of our cinema history. David guides us from his boyhood cinema experience of Australia in England, where he saw the first images of this strange and exotic landscape via the medium of film, to his migration to Australia as a ‘ten pound pom’ in 1963 and onto his present day reflections on the iconic themes that run through our cinematic legacy. All of this reflects a passionate engagement in a uniquely Australian medium. Parallel and at the heart of the series is the story of an industry whose growing pains David has witnessed over a lifetime. Alongside David, the protagonists of this history are the giants of Australian cinema – both behind the camera and in front of it.
When the Northern Rivers of NSW community found their home being threatened by gas field industrialization, a critical mass of citizens from all walks of life responded to the call.Told through the eyes of the "Protectors" over a five-year period and inter-cut with fresh insight from some of the world's leading social commentators, this feature documentary captures and celebrates what is described as the non-violent 'Eureka Stockade' of our time.
A lonely house-wife’s plan to end it all takes an unexpected turn when her last hurrah begins a radical journey of sexual exploration and personal re-invention.
A filmmaker's lifelong dream quickly becomes his worst nightmare when he attempts to make a low budget horror film about an aborted fetus that seeks revenge on its family.
A profile of two men who go to exceptional lengths to improve – and in some cases, save – the lives of those with nowhere else to turn. They risk their freedom by supplying black market medicinal cannabis to thousands suffering from chronic and terminal illnesses.
ALLIES is a landmark documentary from 1983, made at the time of Bob Hawke’s unequivocal embrace of the American alliance.
An exotic world of eroticism, witchcraft, masochism and strange secret places.
Told through the eyes of an Australian news reporter, Eammon Ashton-Atkinson, who moved to the UK to escape depression, the documentary, follows 3 characters on their journey to overcome their struggles as the club competes against 60 other gay clubs in the Bingham Cup in Amsterdam – the World Cup of gay rugby.
The extraordinary true story of Barney Miller, an emerging Pro-surfer who became a quadriplegic 17 years ago. Told by doctors he would never use his legs again, Barney defied all medical assessments through grit, self-belief, hard work and sheer guts. When Barney meets and falls in love with Kate, a girl with her own dreams of being a singer, he makes it his mission to only ask Kate to marry him when he can kneel down to propose, stand at the altar and dance at their wedding together.
The 1970s punk rock movement: New York had the Ramones, London had the Sex Pistols, Australia had the Saints. Stranded takes a look at the role four musicians from suburban Brisbane played in the explosion of one of the all time greatest musical movements. Featuring interviews with the members of the band, including its leaders Ed Kuepper and Chris Bailey, as well as the likes of Sir Bob geldof, former Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra and Buzzcocks guitarist Steve Diggle, Stranded examines how the oppresive and conservative government of Joh Bjelke-Peterson in the 1970s helped act as a catalyst for the rise of punk rock in Australia, and how as a result The Saints went on to be one of the most influential bands in the country.
Australian documentary filmmaker Ian Darling re-examines the incidents that marked the final 3 years of Indigenous footballer Adam Goodes' playing career. Made entirely from archival footage, photos and interviews sourced from television, radio and newspapers, the film reviews the national conversation that took place over this period.
Australian-born filmmaker George Miller offers a personal view of Australian films. He suggests that they can be regarded as visual music, public dreaming, mythology, and song-lines. In extrapolating the idea of movies as song-lines he examines feature films under the following categories: songs of the land; the bushman; the convicts; the bush-rangers; mates and larrikins; the digger; pommy bashing; the sheilas; gays; the wogs; blackfellas; and urban subversion. He then concludes that these films can be thought of as "Hymns that sing of Australia."
To promote the release of his album Garth Brooks in... The Life of Chris Gaines, Garth Brooks appeared as Chris Gaines in a television "mockumentary," a version of VH1's seminal cable classic Behind the Music, featuring a totally made-up tale that just may be the greatest rock n' roll documentary ever made. This piece of art has everything that makes the story of being a rockstar fucking cool. It has childhood trauma, record label trauma, death, disfigurement, a plane crash, a car crash, sex addiction, redemption, a house fire, random unexplained commentary from Billy Joel, and more sex addiction.
Pushing women to the forefront, "Her Sound, Her Story" is an intimate conversation unveiling the personal experiences, histories and the significant social impact women have within the Australian music industry. Featuring conversations with over forty women, this one-of-a-kind all-female narrative is brimming with individuality, strength and creativity.
In 1984, Midnight Oil released their iconic record Red Sails in the Sunset. They embarked on a relentless tour around the nation performing raw and electrifying music that reignited the imagination of young Australians. That same year, their lead singer Peter Garrett committed to run for a Senate seat for the Nuclear Disarmament Party. With the mounting pressure of balancing the demands of music and politics this is the year that would make, but nearly break, Australia's most important rock and roll band. Thirty years in the making and featuring never seen before seen footage of the band on and off the stage, Midnight Oil: 1984 is the untold story of the year Australia’s most iconic rock band inspired the nation to believe in the power of music to change the world.
Provocative, funny and profoundly moving, Bastardy is the inspirational story of a self proclaimed Robin Hood of the streets. For Forty years and with infectious humour and optimism, Jack Charles has juggled a life of crime with another successful career- acting
The Douglas Mawson Antarctic Expedition of 1912 is considered one of the most amazing feats of endurance of all time. Although his two companions perished, Douglas Mawson survived, but how? In a bold historical experiment, scientist and adventurer Tim Jarvis is retracing the gruelling experience, with the same meagre rations, primitive clothing and equipment to uncover what happened to Mawson physically — and mentally — as a man hanging on the precipice of life and death.
The Dreamtime is the Aboriginal worldview. It consists of many different dreaming's. If you look long enough at a bird, stone or a wave, you'll be surprised at what you will find. A surfing journey throughout Australia like never before. Featuring Luke Egan, Munga Barry, and Mark Occhilupo. The music of Not Drowning Waving, Schnell- Fenster, Yothu Yindi, The Woodentops, Concrete Blonde and INXS.
A retrospective documentary on filmmaker Andrew Leavold's debut feature, 'Lesbo-A-Go-Go' (2003). This is the tale of a man with big ideas but no budget who assembled a crew and set out to make a faux sixties exploitation film, the kind of film he would want to see though sadly at the time due to the niche nature of the subject matter very few else did. Despite its entrapment in distribution limbo for over a decade, 'Lesbo-A-Go-Go' has garnered a minor cult reputation internationally and this documentary explores the film's sordid production history as well as its enduring legacy. A no-holds-barred tell-all tale with interviews from cast, crew and industry professionals interspersed with never-before-seen alternate takes, bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage from the film.
Stories of injury, fear, humour and falling in love from soldiers caught up in conflicts from World War II, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Discover the people behind the new sculptures in Greensborough War Memorial Park.