All titles in the ‘Biography’ genre
178 titles - sorted alphabetically or by year prev 1 2 3 4 next
1980s (continued)
The White Monkey documentary – 1987
Father Brian Gore, a Columban missionary on Negros Island in the Philippines, was imprisoned on trumped-up charges by the Marcos Government.
The 1930s Golden Era of Australian Movies: A Tribute to Ken G Hall AO OBE documentary – 1988
Two of Ken G Hall’s basic rules were that films had to have a memorable title and a strong story climax.
Betty Pounder documentary – 1988
Being successful in theatre, says dancer Betty Pounder, requires passion, and that may have to come at the expense of family.
Clifton Pugh documentary – 1988
This landscape painter says painting an amalgam of his surroundings is more authentic than taking a 'myopic view’.
Tuckson documentary – 1988
Examines the life and work of little-known but important artist Tony Tuckson, a 'decisive, ethical, hard-painting, hard-drinking, Craven A smoking artist’.
Astonish Me, Graeme Murphy Choreographer documentary – 1989
Dancer Graeme Murphy remembers the anxiety he felt about partnering, particularly in a pas de deux, because of his small stature.
Difficult Pleasure: A Portrait of Brett Whiteley documentary – 1989
Artist Brett Whiteley says many 'gifted people shipwreck’ ; he died from a drug overdose three years later.
Green Tea and Cherry Ripe documentary – 1989
A portrait of Japanese women who came to Australia as war brides after the Second World War, and their experiences in an alien land.
The Tightrope Dancer documentary – 1989
A portrait of flamboyant Australian artist and dancer Vali Myers.
1990s
Lord of the Bush documentary – 1990
Through the complex character of McAlpine, Zubrycki reveals the issues confronting the rapidly expanding town of Broome.
Man Without Pigs documentary – 1990
The first Papua New Guinea man to become a professor returns to his small village to celebrate, but inadvertently creates antagonism when rituals aren’t adhered to.
Blackout – Malangi: A Day in the Life of a Bark Painter television program – 1991
A portrait of the internationally acclaimed Arnhem Land artist David Malangi, highly regarded in both Yolngu and western cultural traditions.
Bran Nue Dae documentary – 1991
There’s nothing I would rather be than to be an Aborigine’ is probably the most famous line from the successful stage musical.
The Daylight Moon: A Portrait of the Poet Les Murray documentary – 1991
World-renowned Australian poet Les Murray reflects on his life and work.
State of Shock documentary – 1991
Alcoholic Alwyn Peter traces the events in his life – dysfunction experienced by an Indigenous family within a frame of dispossession and loss of cultural practice.
God’s Girls: Stories from an Australian Convent documentary – 1992
The Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy give full access to the filmmakers to explore and question those who choose a religious life.
One Way Street: Fragments for Walter Benjamin documentary – 1992
One Way Street is a timely exploration of a figure who was on the way to being recognised among the great 20th century philosophers.
Sylvania Waters – Episode 5 documentary – 1992
One of the first ‘fly on the wall’ reality TV shows, this co-production between the ABC and BBC was a hit here and in the UK.
Homelands: View from the Edge documentary – 1993
In his first exploration of the migration experience, Zubrycki poses the question ‘When the fighting stops, how do you make choices about where you want to live?’.
A Kid Called Troy documentary – 1993
This is the story of the last year of 8-year-old Troy’s life as he lives with AIDS and struggles to be brave in the face of pain and death.
The Life and Times of Margaret Whitlam documentary – 1993
Wife of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, Margaret Whitlam recalls the day that the Governor-General John Kerr sacked her husband on 11 November 1975.
Lowering the Tone: 45 Years of Robyn Archer documentary – 1993
Archer considered A Star is Torn a tribute to women who influenced her music: Patsy Cline, Bessie Smith, Janis Joplin and Marie Lloyd.
My Life as I Live It documentary – 1993
In this follow-up to My Survival as an Aboriginal (1978), also set in the Brewarrina Aboriginal community, 'Bush Queen’ Essie Coffey has nominated for the local council elections.
Tim Storrier, ‘Lighting Fires’ documentary – 1993
Painter Tim Storrier journeys to the outback accompanied by his father and his son, and talks about his love of the desert and bush upbringing.
Arthur Boyd: Testament of a Painter documentary – 1994
Boyd’s habit of making people and objects float in his landscapes has earned him the title of an 'antipodean Marc Chagall’.
Eternity documentary – 1994
Cinematographer Dion Beebe has beautifully recreated 1930s Sydney here — and about 10 years later won an Oscar.
It’s Ruth: Ruth Cracknell, Actor documentary – 1994
It’s Ruth begins as a romp with Ruth as Maggie Beare through some of the zaniest scenes of Mother and Son, and ends with her as Winnie in Happy Days.
My Country documentary – 1994
My Country is about the impact of the Native Title Act on relationships between Indigenous peoples and pastoralists.
Rebels With a Cause documentary – 1994
Cecil Waters rules the family with a ‘rod of iron’, and is training his sons to be champion boxers.
Smart’s Labyrinth documentary – 1994
Artist Jeffrey Smart observes that he doesn’t like viewing his finished work as 'every picture is a defeat’.
Tall Tales but True: David Williamson – playwright documentary – 1994
David Williamson began writing plays in 1968 at La Mama Theatre Company in Melbourne. He fell in love with Kristen Green on the set of The Removalists.
The Black Swan: Meryl Tankard Choreographer documentary – 1995
Meryl Tankard was on a high at the Australian Dance Theatre in this 1995 documentary; the controversial dispute was later.
Dance of Nature: The Music of Ross Edwards documentary – 1995
Interesting points on the effect nature has on creativity are raised in this documentary about composer Ross Edwards.
Demons at Drivetime documentary – 1995
A day-in-the-life-of shock jocks Howard Sattler, Bob Francis, Alan Jones, Ron Casey, Brian Wiltshire and Stan Zemanek.
The Good Looker documentary – 1995
Joy Hester’s emotionally disturbing and challenging work mainly deals with the relationships between men and women. Her genius is now gaining wider recognition.
The Isabellas: The Long March documentary – 1995
Political events in China are humanised through refugee Chen Xing Liang, with his softly spoken determination to live in a democracy.
Rough Riders documentary – 1995
This film examines the gladiatorial machismo of the laconic roughriders of the rodeo.
The Young One: A Portrait of the Conductor Simone Young documentary – 1995
Australian-born Simone Young is a conductor who has succeeded in a highly competitive, male-dominated field.
Alicia documentary – 1996
Alicia and her parents believe the family’s collective faith aided her recovery from a brain injury sustained in a car accident.
Billal documentary – 1996
Skilled documentarian, Tom Zubrycki, set out to make a film about young Lebanese-Australians in Sydney but had to change tack.
Message Stick – Blacktracker television program – 1996
A tribute to Aboriginal tracker Alexander Riley, a sergeant in the NSW Police Force and a recipient of the King’s Medal in 1943.
Brothers and Sisters documentary – 1997
Actor Rachael Maza and her sister are among the people featured in this look at sibling behaviour.
Lizzy Gardiner’s Story of the Fame Game documentary – 1997
Director and interviewer Lizzy Gardiner had her own taste of fame when she won the Best Costume Design Oscar for The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Mao’s New Suit documentary – 1997
A frank, behind-the-scenes look at modern China as two young fashion designers stage a show in Shanghai.
Pyongyang Diaries documentary – 1997
Solrun Hoaas uses a diary-like voice-over to reflect on the gap between what she was able to film and what she could not show.
Rachel’s Story documentary – 1997
At 16, Rachel was a prostitute and heroin addict in Kings Cross. Years later, she helps a prostitute reform.
Was That Really Me? documentary – 1997
Tracey’s response to her baby’s crying led her to realise that there was something wrong. An insight into postnatal depression.
Where Angels Fear To Tread documentary – 1997
Explores the political situation relating to voluntary euthanasia in the Northern Territory through the point of view of controversial figure Dr Philip Nitschke.
Bastards from the Bush, A Journey with Bob Ellis and Les Murray documentary – 1998
The ridicule poet Les Murray experienced at school, contributed to a nervous breakdown 30 years later, he says.
