Acclaimed filmmaker John Hughes was awarded the prestigious Audio/Visual History Prize for his feature documentary film The Archive Project, at the NSW Premier’s History Awards held last night at the NSW Government House.
The Archive Project: The Realist Film Unit in Cold War Australia explores a foundational moment in Australian independent film, through the ‘hidden history’ of Melbourne’s Realist film movement and Australia‘s cultural cold war of the late 1940s and early 1950’s and provides a timely commentary on the challenges faced by an independent voice in dark times.
The NSW Premier’s History Awards Judges commended the film saying, ‘Unearthing the largely unknown history of maverick and working-class filmmaking, distribution and exhibition in Melbourne after World War II, The Archive Project casts a sharp focus on a small part of the world. But in doing so, it gives startling insights into the history of nations, political beliefs and the development of filmmaking itself in the era just before television emerged to challenge all categories of public knowledge and discourse. Produced with great craft and the determination of a detective, John Hughes’ film continues the historical work pioneered by the subjects he investigates.’
Written and directed by John Hughes, produced by John Hughes and Philippa Campey, edited by Uri Mizrahi, and composed by Martin Friedel, The Archive Project was developed and produced by Early Works with the assistance of the National Film and Sound Archive, the Australian Film Commission, Film Victoria and Music and Effects, Melbourne and Produced with the assistance of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Speaking from Sydney after accepting the Award, Writer/Director/Producer John Hughes said ‘At this time there is clearly a need for independent editorial perspectives and challenging creative voices; I hope that this award will encourage filmmakers in developing critical historical work’.
The Archive Project was broadcast on ABC TV in January 2007 and has screened widely at film festivals across Australia. Previous awards for the film include:
* Best Feature Documentary, 2006 Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards
* Best Tertiary Education Resource, 2006 ATOM Awards
* The Film and History Association of Australia and New Zealand’s 2006 Joan Long Award for Achievement in Australian Film History
* 2006 AFI Award Nomination for Best Editing in a Documentary
* 2006 AFI Award Nomination for Best Sound in a Documentary
Writer/Director John Hughes was also honoured with Film Australia’s coveted Stanley Hawes Award, for Achievement In Documentary in 2006 for his work on The Archive Project.
[release from Early Works]