A documentary offering insights into the juvenile justice system and another showcasing Australia’s own ‘horse whisperer’ have been selected to receive funding under a joint initiative between Screen Australia and The Guardian.
Charby Ibrahim’s JUVIE and Pete Ward’s Movement at the Station will stream for free on the news site later in the year as part of the doco program, designed to help Australian filmmakers reach an international audience.
Focusing on young people with first-hand experience of the juvenile justice system, JUVIE brings together animation, stylised interviews, and observational material to delve into the life circumstances of a young person leading up to their arrest, the social context surrounding their behaviour, and their prospects on the outside after release.
Ibrahim, whose short documentary Bright Lights launched on The Guardian last month, teams up with producer Britt Arthur (Paper Trails) and executive producer Jen Peedom (Mountain) to bring the project to life.
New South Wales stockman Joe Hughes is the subject of Movement at the Station, with the doco detailing his unorthodox horse whispering technique and how it has been used help treat people living with a range of disorders including depression, addiction and trauma. The creative team features writer, director and producer Pete Ward, producer Lisa Shaunessy (2067, Killing Ground) and writer/producer Sam Emery.
Screen Australia’s head of documentary Bernadine Lim said both projects were driven by captivating characters.
“We’re thrilled to fund these compelling and timely documentaries,” she said.
The Guardian’s head of documentaries Lindsay Poulton said she was looking forward to bringing the stories to a global audience.
“I’m delighted to be working with Screen Australia again on these new commissions,” she said.
Both films, JUVIE and Movement at the Station, have talented filmmaking teams behind them, telling original stories with urgent contemporary themes.”
Previous Australian documentaries commissioned by The Guardian include Where The River Runs Red and Lost Rambos.