The incredible true story of how Jelena Dokic became a tennis star while surviving war, bullying and extreme domestic violence at the hands of Damir Dokic, the tennis father from hell. It’s the story of falling down from a great height, as the world looked away, and finally finding your feet again.
Documentary
Like My Brother
Four talented Tiwi Island Indigenous girls dream of AFLW stardom, and with the support of their community, face the social and physical obstacles standing in their way. This is an inspirational story of human endurance, ancient resilience and the power of sport to act as a force for change. Filmed over 6 years, the documentary explores the different worlds that the girls must traverse from the remote Tiwi Islands to mainland Australia as they are selected by the Essendon Football Club for their talent and unique style of play. Navigating the competitive world of professional football while dealing with the weight of cultural expectations, distance and financial barriers, the girls encounter triumphs and disappointments before defining success on their own terms to become an inspiration for the next generation of their community.
The Great White Whale
Deep in the wild Southern Ocean, halfway between Australia and South Africa, a snowy volcano, nine thousand feet high, rears up from the sea like a great white whale.
Five times that great white whale of a mountain, tried to kill the first team that sort to reach its summit. Yet in 1963, back they sailed, through the worst seas in the world, to try again, this time with legendary explorer, Bill Tilman as their skipper.
This is the extraordinary tale those first attempts to climb Big Ben, the smoking glacier ringed volcano on Heard Island, Australia’s loneliest, most remote outpost, told by those who were there. At times, expeditioner John Crick sings the story too, as befits such an epic saga.
The beautifully shot original footage of the expedition, the brilliant music score, the quirky humour of the expeditioners, the utter boldness of the quest, adds spice to one of the least known yet most audacious Australian adventure tales of the 20th century.
Conquering Skin Cancer
Conquering Skin Cancer is not your average documentary; it’s a compelling social impact film with a mission to prevent skin cancer. In a country where the “bronzed Aussie” image has led to more skin cancer deaths than from road accidents, the WHO predicts a staggering 68% increase in melanoma deaths by 2040. But this is not set in stone. And although Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world (Cancer Council); most skin cancers can be prevented. Weaving together compelling and emotional stories from survivors, advocates, and world-leading experts, the second instalment in the international Conquering Cancer series delves into how ‘every body’ can live safely under the sun. Conquering Skin Cancer features prominent and beloved voices in this important space. Faces you might recognise include superstar Hugh Jackman, 2024 Australians of the Year Professors Richard Scolyer and Georgina Long, Australian media icon Deborah Hutton, Olympian Cate Campbell, Gold Logie Winner Costa Georgiadis, and World Champion Surfer Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew. Inspirational activists such as Jay Allen (Australia Skin Cancer Foundation), Tamara Dawson (Melanoma and Skin Cancer Advocacy Network), Scott Maggs (Skin Check Champions) and Anne Gately (Author, “Sunburnt”) also drive the film’s narrative, sharing their personal stories in the pursuit of positive change. Join the movement, and see Conquering Skin Cancer in a cinema near you from the 20th November 2024.
