Emerging filmmakers from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) will have their documentaries shown on broadcast video on demand (BVOD) platform SBS On Demand.
The showcase will feature 10 short-form documentaries from emerging filmmakers currently in their second year of AFTRS’ Bachelor of Screen Arts: Production.
Students were tasked with making docos no longer than five minutes which explore culture and identity in Australia.
This has resulted in a collection of diverse stories, from living with Tourette’s Syndrome to the drag king community. There are also stories of refugees and asylum seeker activism, and the use of Indigenous foods and plants in Australian food culture.
Haidee Ireland, channel manager for SBS On Demand and SBS World Movies, said the broadcaster was blown away by the calibre of talent displayed by the emerging filmmakers in the showcase.
“The creatives of these documentaries have handled a wide range of topics and issues with incredible care and thought, producing programs that are equal parts moving, informative and entertaining,” Ireland said.
“There is an extraordinary pool of talent at AFTRS, who have uniquely Australian stories to share and we’re excited to be giving a platform to the next generation of distinctive documentary makers. It was a pleasure to collaborate with the team at AFTRS, who share our commitment to championing diverse stories and creatives.”
CEO of AFTRS, Nell Greenwood, said the partnership between AFTRS and SBS was a terrific collaboration.
“Every filmmaker wants their work to connect with as wide an audience as possible and this is a wonderful opportunity for these brilliant films by AFTRS students to be discovered by viewers across Australia on one of Australia’s most popular streaming platforms, SBS On Demand,” Greenwood said.
“SBS has an impressive record for championing new Australian talent and, at AFTRS, we are proud of our own history of nurturing diverse Australian screen voices.”
The ‘AFTRS Documentary Showcase’ is available to watch now on SBS On Demand.