Thanks to the kindness of strangers, Richard Todd’s feature documentary which investigates the impact of the coal seam gas industry on residents' health and food and water resources will get a long and wide exposure around Australia.
Screen Australia has again rejected calls to cease funding projects from foreign-owned production companies but the aggrieved filmmakers are not giving up on their campaign.
Richard Todd’s feature documentary Frackman, which investigates the impact of the coal seam gas industry on residents' health and food and water resources, will have its world premiere on March 7.
Dayne Pratsky, aka Frackman, has become a social sensation with more than 1 million people viewing the trailer for the documentary telling the story of his fight against the coal seam gas companies.
The first documentary round of Screen Australia's Broadcast program sees six projects receive over $2.7 million in grants and investment generating production close to $7.3 million.
John Howard has long regarded Sir Robert Menzies, Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, as his political hero.
Screen Australia has announced $2 million in production funding for 11 documentary projects, seven through the Documentary Producer Program and four through the Commissioned Program.
Australia's documentary makers are less affected by production shutdowns than most other sectors of the screen industry - apart from the large cohort of animators who are still working remotely.