Sydney Film Fest Partners With Documentary Australia

30 April 2014 | 1:18 pm | Staff Writer

Filmmakers' foundation to get behind $10,000 Australian Documentary Prize

If you think documentarians are unfairly overlooked during red-carpet season, you'll be happy to know that the venerated Sydney Film Festival has just announced a new awards partnership with the Documentary Australia Foundation to the tune of $10,000.

The Australian Documentary Prize, now in its sixth year, will be awarded to a locally made documentary, featured in this year's festival, at its Closing Night celebrations at the State Theatre on June 15.

Festival director Nashen Moodley said of the partnership: “Australian documentary makers tackle the past, the contentious, and the remarkable. In 2014, Documentary Australia Foundation steps up to support this competition … which showcases the best of Oz docs on the big screen.” 

“This award acknowledges the passion and commitment of our documentary filmmakers, who provide the window through which we witness the beauty, tragedy and wonder of our collective humanity,” Documentary Australia Foundation CEO Dr Mitzi Goldman said.

“We are excited about extending our support for Australian documentary filmmaking by partnering with Sydney Film Festival and this important award."

 This year marks the Sydney Film Festival's 61st iteration since its inception in 1954, and it will run from June 4-15 in a variety of venues around the city.

Documentaries screening at this year's festival include home-bred titles such as Kitty Green's Ukraine Is Not A Brothel and Darlene Johnson's The Redfern Story, alongside international offerings such as Particle Fever and The Unknown Known.

Previous winners of the Australian Documentary Prize include Buckskin (2013), Killing Anna (2012), Life in Movement (2011), The Snowman (2010), and joint 2009 victors Contact and A Good Man.

The full rundown of screenings and locations will be released on Wednesday, May 7, but check the festival's website for more information in the interim.

Watch the trailer for Ukraine Is Not A Brothel below (mildly NSFW/contains boobs):

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