John Farnham, Ruby Hunter & Archie Roach Docos Receive Funding

Documentaries on John Farnham and Ruby Hunter & Archie Roach have taken a share of $2.3 million in funding.

One of eight upcoming projects to receive Screen Australia documentary production funding, Finding The Voice will chronicle the life and career of Aussie legend John Farnham, focusing on “his journey to find an artistic voice and become one of Australia’s most beloved performers”.

Supported by ABC and Sony Pictures, the film is the feature debut from director and co-writer Poppy Stockell, who has previously worked on Searching 4 Sandeep and Scrum, who joins forces with, among others, Paul Clarke, the driving force behind Blood + Thunder– The Story of Alberts.

Also receiving Screen Australia funding ahead of its Melbourne International Film Festival debut, Wash My Soul In The River’s Flow is a feature documentary about “the lives and love story of musicians Ruby Hunter and Archie Roach, as told by their own songs in a cinematic reinvention of their 2004 Helpmann Award-winning concert Kura Tungar: Songs From The River”.

Roach has been confirmed as a producer, with Emma Donovan as an executive producer.

Last year Hunter was posthumously inducted into the National Indigenous Music Awards Hall Of Fame and was celebrated during the event with special musical tributes from Roach and Donovan.

“We’re proud to announce this impressive mix of projects which rounds out our documentary funding for 2020/21,” Screen Australia Head of Documentary Alex West said.

“It’s great to support so many feature documentaries covering a range of exciting topics, including shining a light on a number of Australian icons, and I’m confident they will captivate audiences.”

For more details on the latest round of funding, head to the Screen Australia website.