(L-R) James Bradley and artist Jiawei Shen.
Editor, producer and director James Bradley will receive the Stanley Hawes Award, which recognises outstanding contribution to the Australian documentary sector, at the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) next week.
Bradley’s editing credits include Rachel Perkins’ first feature Radiance and documentaries Whispering in Our Hearts, Dhakiyarr vs The King, Mr Patterns, 5 Seasons, In My Father’s Country, First Australians, art + soul and Occupation: Native.
Bradley shared the 1994 AFI Best Documentary Award for 50 Years Of Silence and won the 2005 AFI Non-Feature Editing Award for Mr Patterns.
His work as producer includes Sonja Dare’s comedic documentary Destiny In Alice, Ochre and Ink, which he wrote, co‐produced and directed, and Blown Away, which he co-produced and edited.
Over his career he has taught at Metro Screen, Western Sydney University, AFTRS and Macquarie University, and was a regular mentor at workshops for the Screen Australia Indigenous department.
Bradley is currently in development on feature documentary Welcome to Babel, based around anew painting on the history of communism by renowned Chinese‐Australian artist Jiawei Shen.
Bradley will be presented the award on Monday March 4 during AIDC, where he will provide the Stanley Hawes Oration. The oration will take place immediately before a masterclass by American producer Diane Weyermann of Participant Media.
“I am truly honoured to receive the Stanley Hawes Award, which this year acknowledges the crucial role of editors in the creation of documentaries”, said Bradley.
“This award gives me the opportunity to add my voice to those calling for reforms in funding and distribution models to support significant one‐off Australian documentaries”.
Previous winners of the Stanley Hawes Award include documentary luminaries as Curtis Levy, Sonya Pemberton, Brian Beaton Chris Hilton and Julia Overton.
The award pays tribute to prolific factual filmmaker Stanley Hawes, the first producer‐in-chief of the Australian Film Board (from 1946-‐1969).