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Exclusive: Netflix has picked up a doc on Nedd Brockmann, an electrician who ran 4,000 km across Australia to help the homeless.

The one-off from WildBear Entertainment and Bursty Company will be made available on the streamer in Australia and New Zealand on February 10.

Runn – The Nedd Brockmann Documentary tells the story of a quintessential Aussie bloke with a sense of humor who embarked on a mission in 2022. Motivated by a deep empathy for the homeless crisis gripping his nation and keen to highlight the problem, the electrician set off on a solo 4000km run across the vast continent, starting at Perth’s Cottesloe Beach and ending at Sydney’s Bondi Beach after 47 days. Celebs including Lily James, Hamish Blake and Ash Barty showed support for his endeavor and his run raised millions for the homeless. He has since become a motivational speaker and written two books.

Airing originally on Fox Sports Australia,...

It is always a pleasure to watch documentaries about the golden age of Hk action cinema and Serge Ou provides a very entertaining, if somewhat rushed exploration of the whole concept, in a style that matches the speed of those movies.

In that fashion, the movie begins with Run Run Shaw and the Shaw Brothers Empire, which is proclaimed as “The Death Star of Hong Kong movie studios”, due to its hoarding of actors, stages and equipment. Through a number of interviews with people such as Cheng Pei Pei and Wilson Yip, whose names barely stay on screen, the documentary deals with all aspects and stories of the era, from the way they implemented the sound, to the choreographies that were inspired from the Chinese opera, to the music. The way directors like Chang Cheh and Lau Kar Leung reinvigorated, changed and eventually shaped the genre is presented next. The...

Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks is a new documentary about the rise and legacy of Kung Fu cinema out of Hong Kong. It was written by our friend Grady Hendrix and director Serge Ou. What they have created for us is a fascinating and entertaining survey of the globally popular genre. They trace the history of it from its beginnings in Hong Kong, with the growth spurts and transitions to different approaches to presenting it to fans around the World, to its influence over popular culture through the decades. Guaranteed you will come away from it enriched, entertained and enlightened.    Iron Fists was produced by Veronica Fury who helped bring us previous Australian cult film documentaries Electric Boogaloo and Machete Maidens, so you...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Giant Pictures has acquired worldwide digital rights excluding Svod and Australia/New Zealand to Serge Ou’s documentary “Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks,” Variety has learned exclusively.

The deal was unveiled Friday. The film held its world premiere at the recent Melbourne International Film Festival and will have its Us premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas. The film will be released on digital platforms and DVD on Sept. 17 to coincide with the Fantastic Fest premiere.

“Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks” covers such landmarks in martial arts and entertainment as the popularization of the kung fu genre through the Shaw Brothers Studios in Hong Kong during the 1960s and the blockbuster Matrix franchise, which included “The Matrix” in 1999 and the sequels “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions,” both in 2003.

The producer is Veronica Fury for WildBear Entertainment, which produces more than 150 hours of factual screen content for the global market every year,...

The second wave of programming for this year’s Fantastic Fest is rolling in and it is bringing a flood of impressive titles including the fest’s closing night film, Rian Johnson’s whodunnit Knives Out featuring the all-star cast of Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana De Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Katherine Langford and Jaeden Martel. Johnson is slated to be in attendance at the fest which kicks off in Austin September 19 and continues through September 26.

In addition, the highly anticipated Parasite will screen at Fantastic Fest with director Bong Joon-ho in attendance. The film, which won the Cannes Palme d’Or is a darkly comic tale of two very different families who find their lives inexplicably intertwined.

On top of that, Fantastic Fest will celebrate Mexican genre film with a trio of rarely seen repertory titles, programmed in association with Mexico City’s Mórbido Film Fest.

Two months after announcing its first wave, the Alamo Drafthouse-created Fantastic Fest is continuing to flesh out its genre-filled lineup. Their latest slate of films is dominated by old and new horror from around the world, but two high-profile inclusions will catch movie lovers’ eyes. Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” followup, the murder mystery “Knives Out,” is set to close the festival with the director in attendance. Palme d’Or winner “Parasite,” in the midst of a domestic Oscar campaign after storming the international box office, will also play Fantastic Fest.

From there, the programming places special emphasis on two categories: Mexican genre film and Lgbtq+ stories. For the former, there will be screenings of three-rarely seen Mexican horror classics, as well as lectures and a shorts program for young Mexican filmmakers.

The festival will also include screenings of some landmark Lgbtq+ horror films, including the new documentary...

Here is a teaser for a new documentary from filmmaker Serge Ou called Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks. Fresh from the producers of riotously entertaining Electric Boogaloo and Machete Maidens Unleashed it follows the rist of martial arts cinema, specifically the spreading influence of the Shaw Brothers films on pop culture around the World. From Hong Kong to Hollywood, the Shaw Brothers to The Matrix, iron fists and kung fu kicks have been busting box offices and breaking barriers since the 1960s. This the wild untold story of how the way of the dragon became a global phenomenon. Among those interviewed are the first woman wuxia film star, Cheng Pei-pei, 80s fu femme Cynthia Rothrock (China O’Brien), contemporary...

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‘H is for Happiness’.

Seven films supported by the Melbourne International Film Festival (Miff) Premiere Fund will make their premiere at this year’s iteration, including Maziar Lahooti’s Below and Paul Ireland’s Measure for Measure.

The Premiere Fund provides minority co-financing to new Australian quality theatrical (narrative and documentary) feature films that then premiere at Miff, and over its history, has invested in more than 70 projects.

The seven films include:

Director John Sheedy’s H is for Happiness, which as previously announced, will form the festival’s Family Gala. The film tells the story of a relentlessly optimistic and hilariously forthright girl who hatches a variety of outlandish schemes to make her fractured family happy again. This charming adaptation of award-winning novel My Life as an Alphabet stars Miriam Margolyes (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries), Emma Booth (Hounds of Love), Richard Roxburgh (Rake), Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires) and...

‘In Like Flynn.’

Robert Slaviero has joined Umbrella Entertainment as head of sales as the distributor continues its commitment to release a sizable slate of Australian feature films and documentaries.

While some distributors have largely shied away from handling local films Umbrella is keeping the faith with three titles scheduled to open in October and eight on the slate for 2019.

“We like working with people who are passionate about their work and who have a commercial sensibility,” Umbrella MD Jeff Harrison tells If, pointing to collaborators including Causeway Films’ Kristina Ceyton and Sam Jennings, Catherine Scott, Carver Films’ Sarah Shaw and Anna McLeish, Paul Ireland and Damian Hill, Steve Jaggi and Justin Dix. “We are very happy with what we’re doing.”

Head of acquisitions Ari Harrison says the firm evaluates up to 50 scripts at any one time and he laments the shortage of projects aimed at older females. “People...

David Gulpilil in 'Another Country'..

Molly Reynolds' feature documentary Another Country, starring David Gulpilil, has collected three gongs at the Atom Awards, held in Melbourne last night.

The Vertigo Productions film, which screened at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, picked up Best Documentary — General; Best Documentary — Social & Political Issues and Best Documentary — History.

Keryn Nossal.s Yiramalay, about the Aboriginal people of the Fitzroy Valley Community in the Kimberley, was named Best Documentary — Short Form.

Best Factual Television Series went to the.two-parter Becoming Superhuman, which aired on ABC's Catalyst earlier this year..

Nel Minchin and Rhian Skirving.s Matilda and Me, chronicling Tim Minchin.s journey to compose a musical based Roald Dahl.s 'Matilda' for the Royal Shakespeare Company, has won Best Documentary — Biography and Best Documentary — Arts.

Sensible Film.s Sperm Donors Anonymous won Best Documentary — Science, Technology & The Environment.

Family, racial and sexual identity, history and science are just some of the themes that will be explored in the 13 documentary projects selected under the National Documentary Program and General Documentary Program.

The projects will receive over $3.8 million of Screen Australia funding support in the final round of documentary funding for this financial year, generating an estimated production value of more than $13.2 million.

Screen Australia.s Senior Manager of Documentary, Liz Stevens, said, .We are excited about this final round of well-researched projects that will entertain and inform. Appealing to a wide audience the projects should stimulate conversation about contemporary concerns such as parenting, poverty and identity..

Three projects will be supported through the National Documentary Program; DNA Nation, Priscilla: Monster in a Party Frock and Stop Laughing, This is Serious.

From Blackfella Films, DNA Nation goes back in time genetic time travel, written/produced by Jacob Hickey and produced by Darren Dale for Sbs.

Screen Australia will invest more than $2.3 million in 10 documentary projects, which it says will trigger more than $8 million in production.

Screen Australia.s documentary manager Liz Stevens said: .It.s very encouraging to see so many projects with solid international deals in this round. Australian producers are creating good opportunities in the international marketplace with strong stories, know-how and support from domestic broadcasters and Screen Australia . it.s a great collaboration. In the domestic arena the National Documentary Program continues to fund significant Australian stories that will resonate with Australian audiences..

National Documentary Program

Afghanistan: The Australian War 3 x 55 mins Essential Media and Entertainment Pty Ltd Producer Alan Erson Writer/Director Victoria Midwinter-Pitt Sales Agent ABC Commercial Broadcaster ABC TV Synopsis The complete story of Australia.s longest and most expensive modern war told by the generation of Australians who fought it, those who ordered it, our allies and enemies.

Screen Australia today announced it will invest $5 million in 13 documentary projects. The National Documentary Program has given the green light to three series and a one-off documentary, Welcome to Puntland, which follows the plight of a group of Somali Australians who return to their homeland in hope of repairing the fractured state. Produced for the Sbs by Andrew Ogilvie and Claire Jager, the project comes from writer/director Victoria Pitt and director/camera operator Tim Wise. Once Upon a Time in Carlton comes after the success of Sbs.s Once Upon a Time in Cabramatta and, subsequently, Once Upon a Time in Punchbowl, which is currently in production. The series, produced by Sue Clothier, will delve into 70 years of Italian migrant history in Carlton, Melbourne. The second series of art + soul will build on its success, offering new insights into contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, art and culture,...

Joe Hildebrand will return to Australian TV screens in 2013 with a new factual series taking aim at Australia’s belief it is ‘the lucky country.”

The Daily Telegraph journo reunites with Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder, the team behind his previous series Dumb Drunk & Racist for a six part series to air on ABC2.

The series is one of 13 documentary projects announced to receive funding from Screen Australia. The $5m agency investment is expected to trigger nearly $15m worth of production.

Produced by Michael Cordell and Toni Malone, and directed by Ivan O’Mahoney, “The Daily Telegraph’s rebel-rousing columnist travels the lucky country, shattering our myths, bursting our bubbles and slaughtering some sacred Australian cows,” according to a press release.

Dumb Drunk & Racist delivered a decent audience for ABC2, it’s debut episode rating 266,000.

Cordell Jigsaw Zapruder has also received funding for Two Men in China, the continuing environmental buddy series...

Screen Australia will allocate $2.7 million to support four production companies and four film producers as part of its enterprise funding program.

The enterprise program, which began in 2009 with $9 million allocated across 12 production companies, is aimed at building a sustainable screen industry.

The latest companies to receive funding are: Bearcage Pty Ltd (Michael Tear, Serge Ou); Joined Up Films Pty Ltd (Daniel Brown, Jacqueline Willinge, Anne Brown, Anthony Willinge); Jungleboys (Jason Burrows, Trent O.Donnell, Phil Lloyd); and Wtfn Holdings (Daryl Talbot, Steve Oemcke, Frank Dunphy, Andrew Logie-Smith). The four successful feature film producers are: Jessica Brentnall (Magic Films Pty Ltd); Angie Fielder (Aquarius Films); Nicole O.Donohue (Wildflower Films); and Nelson Woss (Woss Group Film Productions Pty Ltd).

.The eight recipients approved in the latest rounds of Screen Australia.s enterprise program will enable the companies and individuals chosen to step up to the next stage of their development and...

<p><a href="http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/The-Sapphires.jpg"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-3055 alignright" title="Farmer and Anu in the current stage version of The Sapphires" src="http://www.encoremagazine.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/The-Sapphires-150x150.jpg" alt="Farmer and Anu in the current stage version of The Sapphires" width="150" height="150" /></a>Screen Australia announced its last investment round for 2010, with almost $18m for five features, three drama series, two low budget TV dramas, a children&#8217;s TV series, and 17 docos.</p> <p>The films include the musical <em>The Sapphires </em>(dir. Wayne Blair),<em> The King is Dead!</em> (dir. Rolf de Heer), <em>Dead Europe</em> (dir. Tony Krawitz), <em>Venice </em>(dir. Miro Bilbrough) and <em>Summer Coda</em> (dir. Richard Gray).<span id="more-6142"></span></p> <p><em>Summer Coda </em>was released in October, and today&#8217;s announcement by Screen Australia refers to a September decision that provided the film with post-production funding.</p> <p>The projects are:<br /> Feature Drama<br /> <strong>Dead Europe</strong><br /> See Saw Films Pty Ltd<br /> Producers Emile Sherman, Iain Canning<br /> Writer Louise Fox<br /> Director Tony Krawitz<br /> Sales and Distribution Cross City Sales, Wild Bunch International Sales, Transmission Films<br /> Synopsis Isaac, a late 20s Greek Australian, spirals out of control when he’s forced to confront<br /> his own family’s cursed legacy on his first trip to...

The 7th annual Atlanta Underground Film Festival is like having four different fests crammed into an exhaustive three days on Aug. 27-29. It’s an outrageous underground fest, an animation festival, a documentary fest and a horror movie festival: The culmination of a month of fests run by Atlanta’s Festival League. There’s tons of short films, documentaries, features and more.

There’s lots of great stuff to recommend, too. On the last night of the fest, there will be a screening of Chris Hansen‘s second feature film, Endings, which tells the touching story of three people spending their last day on Earth together. The film was reviewed on Bad Lit a few months ago. On the short film front, there’s Loretta Hintz‘s wild lesbian bestiality (sort of) tale, The Sheep and the Ranch Hand and two films by the perpetually awesome Neil Ira Needleman, Meeskit...