High adrenaline TV following bushfire fighters saving lives and homes

High adrenaline TV following volunteer bushfire fighters saving lives and homes. Marcus Gillezeau spent a summer embedded with the Rural Fire Service following strike teams as they fought fires across drought affect country. Narrated by Jack Thompson.

Pilot series 4 X 24min • 2007 • Finance: Nine Network • Dist: RDF • Prod Co. Essential Viewing/ Firelight

GENRE: OBSERVATION DOCUMENTARY

How would you cope if your suburb was first bombed, then overtaken by armed conflict? Shot over three years by director Kylie Grey, this intimate, moving and at times amusing documentary delves in to the life of 40 year old academic and mother Layla Hassan as she tries to cope with the unending spiral of violence that is Baghdad today. She suspects her 15yr old son who was once a fan of Britney Spears has now joined the resistance. Her husband retreats into his work, whilst her once radical sister Shaima becomes increasingly religious. Layla soon finds her own liberty severely curtailed as conservative Shi-ite forces impose their chauvinistic morals.

52min • 2006 • Finance; AFC, SBS TV, Private • Awards; Gold Medal, Best Documentary New York Festivals • Sold: WDR Germany • Distribution: Firelight Productions

GENRE: OBSERVATIONAL DOCUMENTARY, BIOGRAPHY, CURRENT AFFAIRS

A television spectacular of dance and drama staged by schools world wide

Over 3 consecutive years Marcus Gillezeau and Ellenor Cox captured the excitement, the laughter and the tears at Australia’s national Rock Eisteddfod Challenge. Hosts of the 3 x one-hour specials for the Nine Network have included Toni Pearen, Curio and Picasso from The Shak, Richard Wilkins and Miranda Deakin.

3 X 50 min • 2006 • Screened; Nine Network and the Web • Format bible available for UK, Germany, Japan and UAE where Rock Eisteddfod Challenge is held.

GENRE: YOUTH

Follows refugee Aladin Sisalem and his extraordinary journey to freedom

The inspiring story of one of Australia’s most influential QC’s Julian Burnside, his wife, artist Kate Durham and Alladin Sisalem – a refugee who found himself imprisoned in solitary detention by Australian immigration for nine months. Firelight followed Julian and Kate as they spearheaded an extraordinary campaign to free Alladin.

26 min • 2005 • Finance: AFC, ABC

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY, ETHICS

A world exclusive biography about Tenzin Palmo

A world exclusive biography on Buddhist nun Tenzin Palmo, a spiritual revolutionary. In 1976 Tenzin Palmo isolated herself in a remote Himalayan cave, engaging in 12 years of Buddhist meditation. She faced unimaginable cold, wild animals, near starvation and avalanches. Now a globe-trotting fundraiser, she is building a nunnery in India. Cave in the Snow features an extraordinary interview with the Dalai Lama.

52 min • 2002 • Finance: FFC, AFC, FTO, SBSi, ORF Austria, BOS Holland Distribution: TVF International • Sold: Poland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Finland, NZ Awards: Best Original Score Australian Composers Guild 2002

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

PAINTING WITH LIGHT IN A DARK WORLD (2002)

Photographer Peter Darren Moyle’s unique vision of Sydney’s underbelly

For over ten years Peter Darren Moyle has been trawling the depths of Sydney’s underbelly with his 1936 medium format camera, illuminating the darkest shadows of the city’s psyche. The tireless intensity of his work has meant eating out of bins, sleeping alongside derelicts and setting up darkrooms in abandoned warehouses. The result is a reservoir of mind blowing black and white photography that documents a social history largely absent from the wider collective consciousness.

26 min • 2003 • Finance: AFC, FTO, SBSi • Dist: SBS • Sold: SBS, Ovation, Artspace UK, ACMI • Awards: Best Short Documentary – IF, Real Life, San Francisco, ATOM, winner Best Director – AFI 2003, Best Editing – AFI, Nominated Best Documentary AFI, Dendy finalist

GENRE: BIOGRAPHY

A journey back through 400 years of history to the original discovery of Australia in 1606

This is the story of history’s bravest little ship, the Duyfken, or Little Dove. She pioneered the fabled spice island trade routes and fought battles with ships three times her size. In 1606, whilst sailing to the edge of the known world in search of Solomon’s gold, she stumbled upon the last habitable continent – Australia. Marcus Gillezeau joined the ships crew on a 3 month voyage back through 400 years aboard an authentic replica of the Little Dove. Little Dove Big Voyage was the first fully convergent multi-platform documentary project in Australia.

52 min • 2000 • Finance: FFC, Network 7, ZDF, AVRO Holland, Screenwest Dist: Granada • Awards: Finalist – New York Film Festival

GENRE: ADVENTURE

BREAKING BOWS AND ARROWS (2002) A search for reconciliation and forgiveness after the war in Bougainville, PNG

In Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, thousands of people have been killed in a decade long secessionist war. Exploring challenging emotional terrain with the victims and perpetrators, this film examines the extraordinary human capacity to forgive and marks the beginning of a path to true peace and healing for Bouganville.

52 min • 2001 • Finance: SBSi, Vision TV Canada, Soros Foundation • Dist: Film Australia Sold: Netherlands, ABC Digital Service Asia, PNG TV • Screenings: Margaret Mead, Commonwealth Film Fest – Manchester • Awards: United Nations Media Peace Awards – Best Television 2002, AIBD Best TV Documentary, French Intl. Film Org – Grand Jury Prize

GENRE: SOCIAL ANTHROPOLOGY

A year in the life of NAISDA, Australia’s premiere indigenous dance college

Documents a year in the life of NAISDA, Australia’s premiere indigenous dance college. This is a compelling portrayal of the professional, personal and cultural development of a group of young indigenous Australians in pursuit of their dreams.

4 x 26 min • 2000 • Finance: ABC, FTO, APTN Canada

GENRE: ARTS

AFRIKA – CAPE TOWN TO CAIRO (1998)
A search for the spirit of Africa through the eyes of its youth

From Cape Town to Cairo, young Australian filmmaker Michael Davie travels solo 8500km overland through some of Africa’s most volatile and spectacular territories armed only with a video camera and rucksack. As a childhood exile from Zimbabwe’s guerrilla war of independence, Michael returns to begin his journey into the lives and dreams of African youth. Each of the four episodes gives new insights into the heart and spirit of modern Africa.

4 x 26 min • 1999 • Finance: AFC, PTFC, ABC, Channel 4 UK, National Geographic Dist: ABC International • Sold: ABC, National Geographic Channel Worldwide, Ch4UK • Awards: Nominated – Logies 1998 • Winner – SMH Best Infotainment Programme, Nominated – Best Original Soundtrack Album ARIA 1998

GENRE: ADVENTURE