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THE SUBLIME ART OF THE EVERYDAY IN DOCUMENTARY

Craft From porridge-making and spreadsheet championships to life in regional towns – how do you transform ordinary subjects into extraordinary stories? Join the filmmakers behind The Golden Spurtle, Spreadsheet Champions and Flathead, whose deeply human documentaries have landed with audiences around the world.

Audiences are drawn to documentaries that reveal the extraordinary from inside the ordinary. Indeed, some of the most compelling documentaries begin far from where we think the action is. A regional porridge competition, or in the columns and tables of a spreadsheet, or far-flung regional fish and chipperies. On the surface, these stories appear intimate or niche, but on the big screen, they open up entire worlds of ambition, belonging and identity.

Join us as we hear from filmmakers who have transformed the contemporary documentary feature landscape, including Constantine Costi (The Golden Spurtle), Anna Charalambous (Spreadsheet Champions) and Jaydon Martin (Flathead). These documentaries have received accolades at festivals like CPH:DOX, SXSW and Rotterdam, have played at cinemas around Australia; and have connected with audiences every step of the way.

Moderated by festival and exhibition expert Jordan Bastian – uncover how these filmmakers have elevated niche tales into globally resonant narratives, both moving and deeply human.

 

Image credit: Flathead (Portmanteau Pictures, 2024)

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