Six-part anthology series 'Fires', about the experiences of everyday people at the frontline of the 2019-2020 bushfires, will premiere on Sunday, September 26, 8.40pm on ABC TV and ABC iview.
AACTA has revealed those in contention for the major film, television and short-form prizes at this year's awards, with 'High Ground' leading the charge in the film categories and 'The Newsreader' ahead in television.
With a second crop of creatives set to start the SBS Emerging Writers' Incubator in the new year, inaugural participant Alberto Di Troia has encouraged them to speak up with ideas, no matter who they were in the room with.
Justin Kurzel’s 'Nitram' dominated the feature film categories at Wednesday's AACTA ceremony, winning eight awards, while the ABC’s 'The Newsreader' led the pack for television with five.
TV dramas 'Fires', 'New Gold Mountain' and 'The Newsreader' each took home two prizes at yesterday evening's virtual AACTA Industry Awards, as did films 'Nitram', 'The Dry', 'Mortal Kombat' and 'High Ground'.
Australian film and television is delivering less local cultural value to audiences, authentic dramas are fewer, and much of it now feels a lot less Australian – even unrecognisable as made in this country, according to veteran screen journalist Sandy George. In this extract from her New Platform Paper, she argues Screen Australia must proactively cultivate film and television that is Australian in look and feel.
The ABC and Tony Ayres Productions' (TAP) anthology drama 'Fires' is underway in Victoria, with a stellar cast that boasts Eliza Scanlen, Sam Worthington, Richard Roxburgh, Sullivan Stapleton, Miranda Otto, Hunter Page-Lochard, Anna Torv, Kate Box, Helana Sawires, Daniel Henshall, and Noni Hazlehurst.
So hefty is the ABC's slate in 2021, director entertainment and specialist Michael Carrington is positive audiences won't even realise that many of the broadcaster's shows faced shutdowns and delays during the pandemic.