Don Featherstone (filmmaker)

Don Featherstone is an Australian filmmaker. His work includes documentaries about significant figures in Australian arts and culture, including authors David Malouf and Tim Winton, artist Brett Whiteley and dancer Robert Helpmann. Featherstone's works address social and historical issues such as beach culture, The Beach, gangs, The One Percenters about the Milperra Massacre,[1] and war, Kokoda.[2]

Featherstone's satirical mockumentary for television, BabaKiueria, has been the subject of academic comparative analysis of imperial historicity and postcolonial social progress.[3] It has also been included in cultural exchanges, for example in "Southern Exposure" between the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and the Museum Of Contemporary Art, San Diego.[4]

In 1985 Featherstone co-founded Featherstone Productions with Judy Featherstone.[1]

Featherstone's works have been screened and broadcast internationally, in many countries.[1]

Other filmmakers utilise Featherstone's work, for example James Bogle's Whiteley.[5]

Filmography

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Selected works include:[6][1][7]

  • Food for Thought (1977); writer, director
  • Hey Look That's Me (1978);director
  • William Cobbett's Rural Rides (1979); director;
  • Erte (1979); director;
  • The London Programme (1979-1982); director
  • The South Bank Show (1982-1985); director
  • Ed McBain (1982); director
  • Jack Lemmon (1982); director
  • John Le Carre (1983); director
  • Msistlav Rostropovich (1983); director
  • Barry Flanagan (1983); director
  • David Hockney (1983); director
  • Ivo Pogorelich (1984); director
  • Robert Lowell (1984); director
  • Alan Bleasedale (1985); director
  • The Science of Winning (1985); director
  • Arthur Boyd: Figures in the Landscape (1985); director, producer Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Babakiueria (1986); director
  • Heal or Hoax (1986); director
  • Aussies (1987); director
  • Beautiful Lies: A Film About Peter Carey (1986); producer, co-writer, director; Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Dreamtime, Machinetime 1987; director, producer, writer Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Slow Boat from Surabaya (1988); director
  • Creative Spirits (1989)[a]; producer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Difficult Pleasure: A Portrait of Brett Whiteley (1989) producer, director
  • Astonish Me, Graeme Murphy (1989); producer
  • There's No Time, Peter Sculthorpe (1989); producer
  • The Wizard From Oz, James Morrison (1989); producer
  • God or Politics', Tom Keneally (1989); producer, director
  • The Peoples' Diva', Joan Carden (1989); producer
  • Tales of Helpmann (1990); co-producer, director Primetime, Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Billy Tea and Goulash (1991); director
  • The Daylight Moon: A Portrait of the Poet Les Murray (1991); producer, writer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Fast Forward Exposed (1992); director
  • Masterpiece (1992); co-producer, director; SBS, Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Oondamooroo: Ernie Dingo (1992); director, co-producer
  • Eric Rolls: Celebration of the Senses (1992); director, co-producer
  • Make It New: Robert Klippel (1992); director, co-producer
  • Right Said Fred: Fred Schepisi - Film Director (1993); director, co-producer
  • Creative Spirits II (1993)[b]; director, producer Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Lowering the Tone: 45 Years of Robyn Archer (1993); director, producer
  • Bon Bons and Roses for Dorothy: Dorothy Hewett 1993; producer
  • Dead Quick: Peter Corris 1993; producer
  • Lighting Fires: Tim Storrier 1993; producer
  • Creative Spirits III (1995); producer[c], director[d] Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Tall Tales but True: David Williamson (1994); director, producer
  • Smart's Labyrinth: Jeffrey Smart (1994); producer
  • The Black Swan: Meryl Tankard Choreographer (1995); producer
  • Wrestling The Angel: Blanche D'Alpuget (1995); director, writer, producer
  • Dance of Nature: The Music of Ross Edwards (1995); producer, director, writer Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Young Australian of the Year (1996); writer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer (1997); writer, director; Linfield, Sydney, AU; Film Australia RM Associates, ABC Television
  • The Edge of the World: Tim Winton: Writer (1998); producer; Linfield, Sydney, AU; Film Australia RM Associates, ABC Television
  • Art Zone (1998); writer, director
  • The Maitland Wonder: Les Darcy (1998); director
  • American Journeys (1999); writer, director
  • I Witness: The Art of George Gittoes (1999); director, writer, producer Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • It Happened on Holiday (2000); writer, director
  • The Beach (2000); coproducer, co-writer, director Centre Coast, Featherstone Productions; Sydney
  • Sydney Revealed (2001); writer, director
  • Australia Revealed (2002); writer, director
  • The One Percenters (2005); writer, director
  • Kokoda (2009); writer, director
  • Singapore 1942 (2010); writer, director
  • The War That Changed Us (2014); writer, co-director
  • 100 Days to Victory (2018); writer, co-director

Awards and recognition

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Film awards and recognition include:

YearCategoryCompetitionWorkStatusRef
2019Best Sound in a documentaryAACTA Awards100 Days to VictoryWon
2019Best Docu DramaATOM Awards100 Days to VictoryNominated
2019Best History DocumentaryCanadian Screen Awards100 Days to VictoryNominated
2014Best Docu DramaATOM AwardsThe War That Changed UsWon
2014Most Outstanding Factual ProgramLogie AwardsThe War That Changed UsNominated
2012Best Documentary SeriesAACTA AwardsSingapore 1942Nominated[8]
2012Gold - Dramatised DocumentariesSouth Australia & Western Australia ACS AwardsSingapore 1942 series - episode 2: End of the EmpireWon[9]
2012Best DirectionAsian Television AwardsSingapore 1942Nominated
2012Best EditingAsian Television AwardsSingapore 1942Nominated
2011Best History ProductionHistory Makers Awards New YorkKokodaNominated
2010Best Documentary SeriesAFI AwardsKokoda seriesNominated[10]
2010Best Documentary SoundAFI AwardsKokoda series - episode 1: The InvasionNominated[10]
2010Best Documentary History, Social & Political IssuesATOM AwardsKokoda seriesFinalist[11]
2002Outstanding Achievement AwardIECF Hi-def Festival TokyoThe BeachWon
1998Best International DocumentaryHot Docs Festival in TorontoAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterWon
1998Best Arts DocumentarySan Francisco Film & TV FestivalAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterWon
1998Best Arts DocumentaryFestival International du Film sur l'Art - MontrealAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterFinalist
1998Best Original Score in a documentaryAustralian Composers GuildAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterWon
1997Best Arts DocumentaryBanff International TV FestivalAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterFinalist
1997Greater Union Dendy AwardsAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterFinalist
1997New York Film & TV FestivalAn Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary WriterFinalist
1997Best Arts DocumentaryFestival International du Film sur l'Art - MontrealRoss EdwardsFinalist
1996Best Arts DocumentaryBanff International TV FestivalRoss EdwardsFinalist
1996IMZ Dance Screen FestivalMeryl TankardFinalist
1996Best FilmGrand Prix Video Dance ParisMeryl TankardWon
1995Best filmDance on Camera Film Festival, New YorkMeryl TankardWon
1994Best Television DocumentaryAFI AwardsCreative Spirits 2 series - episode: Lowering the Tone: 45 Years of Robyn ArcherNominated[12]
1993Best Arts DocumentaryFestival International du Film sur l'Art-MontrealThe Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les MurrayWon
1992Awgies AwardThe Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les MurrayNominated
1991Gold Plaque AwardChicago International Film FestivalThe Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les MurrayWon[13]
1991New York Film & TV FestivalThe Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les MurrayFinalist
1991United Nations Media Peace PrizeBilly Tea and GoulashNominated
1990International EmmyNew YorkRobert HelpmannNominated
1990Gold Hugo AwardChicago Film FestivalDifficult Pleasure: A portrait of Brett WhiteleyWon[14]
1990Best Arts documentaryBanff Television FestivalDifficult Pleasure: A portrait of Brett WhiteleyWon[14]
1990Best Television DocumentaryAFI AwardsDifficult Pleasure: A portrait of Brett WhiteleyNominated[15]
1990Best Television DocumentaryAFI AwardsAstonish Me, Graeme MurphyNominated[15]
1989Best Arts DocumentaryBanff Television FestivalTom KeneallySelected
1988Best DocumentaryATOM AwardsPeter CareyWon
1986United Nations Media Peace PrizeBabaKuieriaWon[16]
1996New York Film & TV FestivalArthur BoydFinalist
1985Special Jury PrizeSan Francisco Film FestivalEd McBainWon
1985Silver AwardNew York Film & TV FestivalEd McBainWon
1983Best Arts DocumentaryBAFTA AwardDavid HockneyNominated
1983Silver AwardNew York Film & TV FestivalJohn LeCarréWon
1982Silver AwardNew York Film & TV FestivalKing ConeWon

Notes

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  1. ^ 2 episodes
  2. ^ 1 episode
  3. ^ series
  4. ^ 1 episode

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Don Featherstone". AustLit: Discover Australian Stories. University of Queensland. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  2. ^ Smyth, Terry (21 April 2010). "Kokoda film a trail of bad memories". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  3. ^ Weaver-Hightower, Rebecca (2006). "Revisiting the Vanquished: Indigenous Perspectives on Colonial Encounters". Journal for Early Modern Cultural Studies. 6 (2): 84–102. doi:10.1353/jem.2006.0010. JSTOR 40339575. S2CID 154828023. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  4. ^ McDonald, John (10 May 2008). "All their eggs in the one basket". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  5. ^ Coslovich, Gabriella (1 May 2017). "Brett Whiteley documentary traces the tumultuous life of art's 'hand grenade'". The SYdney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Don Featherstone". Australian Screen. National Film and Sound Archive. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Featherstone Productions Pty Ltd". The Screen Guide. Screen Australia. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  8. ^ "2nd AACTA Awards". AACTA Winners & Nominees. Australian Film Institute. 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Award winners". Australian Cinematographers Society. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  10. ^ a b "AFI Awards 2010". AACTA Winners & Nominees. Australian Film Institute. 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  11. ^ "2010 ATOM Award Finalists Announced". Australian Teachers of Media. 9 August 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  12. ^ "AFI Awards 1994". AACTA Winners & Nominees. Australian Film Institute. 1994. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  13. ^ "The Daylight moon: a film about the poet Les Murray". Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  14. ^ a b Difficult Pleasure: a portrait of Brett Whiteley. OCLC 225420367. Retrieved 22 December 2021 – via WorldCat.
  15. ^ a b "AFI Awards 1990". AACTA Winners & Nominees. Australian Film Institute. 1990. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
  16. ^ Matthews, Kate. "Babakiueria". Australian Screen - Short Films. National Film and SoundArchive. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
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