Cinema Australia

This is a different episode format than regular listeners will be used to. Here I’ll be chatting with two filmmakers in seperate interviews that were originally recorded for my radio spot on the Community Radio Network. The first interview is with Christine Looby to discuss her new Young Adult coming-of-age adventure film, The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay. An accomplished Assistant Director with 15 years of experience in film and television, Christine graduated to Directing in 2020 with her debut feature This Little Love of Mine - the first Australian feature to commence production during the global COVID-19 Pandemic. The second interview is with filmmaker Maya Newell who shares some great stories about the making of her brilliant new documentary The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone. Spanning nineteen years, The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone tells the story of Georgie, an Australian transgender teen as she helps change laws, affirms her gender, finds her voice and emerges into adulthood.

In this episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast, host Matthew Eeles is joined by filmmakers Rowan Devereux and Sophie Saville to discuss two of their new films, feature film Evicted! A Modern Romance - a comedy which follows a group of friends on a seemingly futile hunt for an affordable share house - and Inspire Me - a documentary short following Madeline Stewart’s quest to become the most inspirational disabled person ever.

Hello and welcome to Cinema Australia Podcast. I’m very excited to be discussing the wonderfully weird, and outrageously funny The Lonely Spirits Variety Hour with the film’s director and co-writer Platon Theodoris. The Lonely Spirits Variety Hour follows radio host Neville Umbrellaman. When Neville lands in hospital, a group of unexpected performers crash his show, The Lonely Spirits Variety Hour. Platon Theodoris is an Australian film director, producer and screenwriter. His debut feature film, Alvin’s Harmonious World of Opposites, had its world premiere at the Revelation Perth International Film Festival back in 2015 and I’ve been anticipating his next film ever since. Platon is one of the most unique filmmakers working in Australia today. If you’ve seen Alvin’s and Lonely Spirits I’m sure you will agree, and if you haven’t seen those films then you really need to amend that ASAP. In this interview Platon discusses everything from his first viewing of the original stage play on which the film was

Writer and director Kriv Stenders joins the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss his new documentary, Lee Kernaghan: Boy from the Bush. Stenders is carving out quite a niche for himself as a documentary filmmaker following very successful feature films like Red Dog and Danger Close: The Battle for Long Tan. Stenders’ recent documentary work includes Slim & I, The Go Betweens: Right Here, and Brock: Over the Top. Here, Stenders discusses growing up around music, working with Lee Kernaghan, filming the energetic concert scenes, his passion for good storytelling, why he thinks Lee Kernaghan: Boy from the Bush is his most experimental film yet, and why documentary filmmaking is such an exciting medium right now.

In this episode Cinema Australia is joined by the makers of new Australian black comedy, Sissy - Hannah Barlow & Kane Senes. Hannah and Kane co-wrote and co-directed the film and Hannah also stars in the film as one of the lead characters, Emma. The film follows social media influencer, Sissy, who is invited away on a hen’s weekend with some old school friends. Little does she know she will be stuck in a remote cabin with her high school bully… #triggered. Hannah and Kane have been making movies for a while now. Most recently the two made the independent mumblecore, For Now. This is a deep dive into the making of the film, so obviously there are going to be some plot spoilers, but listeners should know that when we do discuss the ending of the film I do warn when to switch off.

Tiriki Onus and Alec Morgan join the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss their new documentary, Ablaze. Ablaze is the true story of the first Aboriginal filmmaker, William ‘Bill’ Onus and tells the story of this cultural and political figure who revived his peopleʼs culture in the 1940s and ignited a civil rights movement that would change the course of history. Ablaze is the compelling tale of how Bill and his supporters brilliantly orchestrated their campaign for equality through performance, entertainment, film and sheer audacity and how they outsmarted mighty forces seeking to destroy Indigenous cultures, languages, and communities.

How to Please a Woman writer and director Renée Webster joins the Cinema Australia Podcast. How to Please a Woman is a genuine gut-busting laugh-fest. As I tell Renée during this interview, I’ve seen it three times now, and I’m recommending it to everyone. The film follow Gina (played by Sally Philips), a 50-something woman who develops a business idea to launch an all-male house-cleaning service. However, when her business grows out of control, she must acknowledge her own appetite if she is to make a new life for herself. The film has had advance screenings around Australian, including here in Perth where it screened at the Perth International Arts Festival, The WA Made Film Festival, and it’s own Gala Night at Luna Cinemas and people are loving it! How to Please a Woman is Renée Webster’s first feature film. In this interview Renée tells us about developing the script and her process for writing comedy which I found fascinating. She also talks about working with her cast, shooting in Fremantle and

Welcome to a very special episode of the Cinema Australia Podcast. So what’s so special about this episode? Well as regular listeners will know, discussions on this podcast are usually centred around a particular film, and it’s not often that I take listeners on a deep dive into an actor’s career. It’s just the way the publicity machine works, and not everyone, particularly busy actors, have the time to sit for two hours talking about themselves. With the recent announcement that actor Joel Jackson has been appointed as an ambassador for CinefestOZ Albany, I invited Joel to join an episode to discuss his career, which Joel jumped at. Most of you will be familiar with Joel’s work. The Albany-born actor and musician is celebrated for his work on the big and small screen in projects like Peter Allen: Not the Boy Next Door, Deadline Gallipoli, Jungle, H is For Happiness, Mystery Road, and I Met a Girl, as well as stage productions like Born Yesterday. Here, Joel discusses most of those projects, but

In this episode I’m joined by Jane Castle - the daughter of trailblazing Australian filmmaker, Lilias Fraser. Castle’s new documentary, When the Camera Stopped Rolling, tells the epic tale of her mother’s extraordinary life, her fascinating career and their challenging relationship. Lilias Fraser was the first Australian to study at the National Film School of France who honed her skills on nation-building industrial documentaries of the 1960s, and in 1970 she made one of Australia’s first land rights films, This is Their Land. When the Camera Stopped Rolling is a must-see documentary and Jane should be commended for such an honest and raw insight into her personal relationship with her mother. Jane is a multi-award-winnning filmmaker and cinematographer. She’s shot films and documentaries and a tonne of music videos for artists like Prince, U2, Mary J Blige, Usher and INXS. Jane’s directing work includes the award-winning short, Roadside Café and the SBS documentary Sixty Thousand Barrels. When the

It’s hard to believe A Stitch in Time is Sasha Hadden’s first film. He’s made two short films and a documentary, and this film cements him as a serious talent and a filmmaker to keep an eye on. Here, Sasha discusses how he developed a passion for filmmaking at a young age thanks to his supportive mother, his love for Australian filmmaking great Bruce Beresford, and how he used this film as a training ground for emerging filmmakers. As a bonus, this episode also includes a ten minute chat with one of the film’s stars - veteran Australian actor Belinda Giblin who plays Christine in the film. As one of Australia’s most distinguished actors of stage and screen, most of you will know Belinda from her roles in Home and Away, Sons and Daughters, Good Guys Bad Guys, Heartbreak High, The Sullivans and A Country Practice.

In this episode I’m joined by Mutt writer and director Sam Galloway. Mutt follows Odette, an expecting mother who delves into a criminal underworld to rescue her dog from a torturous death. Samuel Galloway is a kiwi filmmaker based in Melbourne. He is both a director of photography for commercial and narrative work, but also holds a distinctively dark and comedic voice as a writer-director. Samuel is known for the short films Past the Second Stage and The Dying Art of Cat Burglary. The web series Waiting on Sound, and of course Mutt. Anyway... enjoy!

Happy New Year everyone and welcome to the first Cinema Australia Podcast episode for 2022. In this episode I’m joined by Public Eye writer, producer, director and lead actor Davo Hardy, and his co-star British Flower. Public Eye follows Elliot Sinclaire, played by Hardy in the film. He’s a children’s entertainer and actor whose social and moral standing is severely challenged when his personal life comes under scrutiny following the viral release of a very private video. It’s impossible to discuss this film without mentioning certain scenes and themes, so please note that this interview does include spoilers. One of them quite big. We also discuss strong sexual themes so listener discretion is advised. Anyway… enjoy.

Filmmaker Brendan Fletcher joins the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss his new series, Firebite, which he co-created and co-directed with Warwick Thornton (Sweet Country). In this episode Fletcher reflects back on his Mad Bastards and what he’s been up to since, and obviously we chat everything Firebite including how he was introduced to Thornton, moving from film to television and much more.

WA-based filmmakers Samantha Marlowe and Frances Elliott join the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss their latest documentary, Girl Like You, which, over six years, follows a couple that battles to stay together as one of them transitions genders; confronting the effects of new body parts, changing gender roles as well as navigating their own evolving sexual identities.

Filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner joins the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss Wyrmwood Apocalypse - the highly-anticipated followup to his explosive zombie thriller, Wyrmwood Road of the Dead.

Catherine Hill is an accomplished and admired individual who has worked as an actor, script editor and story consultant. As well as being an award-winning theatre director, Catherine has been employed as a case manager and a crisis worker for over two decades, working with individuals managing complex issues and often experiencing homelessness. Drawing on all these experiences Catherine wrote, produced and directed Some Happy Day - a neat little film about a homeless woman, Tina, played by Peta Brady, in desperate search of a better life who meets a social worker, Frances, played by Mary Helen Sassman, with troubles of her own. Some Happy Day was filmed in and with the community in which the story is set. Many of the background actors have a lived experience of what it is like to be without a home. Here, Catherine discusses the making of the Some Happy Day, how she fell in love with storytelling and the importance of networking within the Australian filmmaking community, among other things.

Director Justin Kurzel and writer Shaun Grant join the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss their latest collaboration, Nitram. Nitram is a brilliant but highly disturbing film, that will no doubt divide audiences. It depicts the events leading up to one of the darkest chapters in Australian history - the Port Arthur shootings. Kurzel and Grant have been making movies together since 2011 as director and writer respectively. Their first film, Snowtown, landed like a sledgehammer and marked the arrival of two extraordinary filmmaking talents. Nitram is their third collaboration following Snowtown, and the provocative joy ride that is True History of the Kelly Gang. Kurzel’s filmography also includes Macbeth and Assissin’s Creed, which both starred Michael Fassbender. He also directed a segment of one of my favourite Australian films, The Turning. Shaun Grant’s other writing credits include Berlin Syndrome directed by Cate Shortland, Jasper Jones directed by Rachel Perkins, an episode of the American tele

Erik Thomson is one of my favourite actors. I’ve enjoyed most of Erik’s work, with Packed to the Rafters, Aftertaste and The Furnace being among my favourites. Thomson is one of Australia’s most beloved actors, becoming a household name thanks to mega-popular shows like All Saints and Rafters. In this episode we take a deep dive into Eric’s career and discuss everything from Pacific Drive to High Tide, All Saints, Packed to the Rafters and Back to the Rafters, and of course Aftertaste - a TV series in which Erik gives one of his best ever performances. We wrap it all up by discussing a few of Eric’s latest films - The Furnace, How to Please a Woman and Blueback all of which were filmed in Western Australia.

Iconic Australian filmmaker, Nadia Tass joins the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss her career, including the making of two of her most well-known and much loved films, Malcolm and The Big Steal. Nadia Tass is one of Australia’s most respected filmmakers. Known for those films I just mentioned, Nadia also directed Pure Luck, an American film starring Martin Short and Danny Glover. Nadia’s later work includes Matching Jack with Jacinda Barrett, Richard Roxburgh, and Kodi Smit-McPhee, and the tele-film, Fatal Honeymoon, starring Harvey Keitel.

Screenwriters Arka Das and Bina Bhattacharya join the Cinema Australia Podcast to discuss their new anthology feature film, Here Out West. Synopsis: A baby is kidnapped from a western Sydney hospital by a desperate grandmother. Her flight sets off a chain of events that brings together complete strangers over the course of one dramatic day. Arka, who wrote the chapter titled BROTHERHOOD, is a writer, director and actor with a number of short films, web series and short documentaries under his belt. Bina, who wrote the chapter THE ETERNAL DANCE, is an award-winning writer, producer and director whose 2017 short film, Wild Dances, win the Audience Choice Award at the Made in the West Film Festival. Anyway... enjoy.