Australia as a space faring nation; Australian Space Imaginaries.
A cinematic exploration of Australia’s space race, with perspectives from Antartica and mainland Australia.
status: in development as part of my PhD research.
River.Bend 2.0
the social geography of the Murray River
a feature film in development
by Robert Nugent
status: seeking funding/distribution interest Click here to see test media
synopsis
river.bend 2.0 is a reimagining of the social geography of the Murray River as portrayed in John Heyer’s epic nation building 1948 film The Valley Is Ours and Sidney Nolan’s masterpiece, Riverbend.
Contemporary situations are contextualised by Heyer’s and Nolan’s stance and footage, taken on the river over 70 years ago, revealing, amongst many other things, the stark environmental shift in the river’s wellbeing.
The Quality Of Sprawl and other tales
inspired by the science-fiction novel “roadside picnic” and the poems of Australia’s place making poets (including Randolph Stowe, Les Murray, Gerald Murnane...)
an experimental on-line documentary film series
status: in development - seeking funding / distribution partners
A series of short(<10 min.) hybrid documentary films set around situations that exist on the margins of dominant narratives. Explorations will be of places affected by bushfires, feral animals, bad-lands/massacre sites, infra-structure projects such as space-bases and dam sites in the Kimberly and other areas of contested or emerging stories. In each episode an unseen voice of a “stalker” guides the viewer. This on-line series is an Australian reimagining of the Russian science fiction novel “Roadside Picnic” and draws on the poetic voices of Australian place making poets… Randolph Stowe, Gerald Murnane, Les Murray, Ali Cobby Eckermann and others.
synopsis of episode 1. roadside picnic
NOTE THIS EPISODE IS BEING DEVELOPED AS PART OF THE PROTOTYPE PROJECT, PRODUCED BY LAUREN CARROL-HARRIS
A foreign archeologist interprets the video documentation of a strange landscape, dotted with roadside structures. While there are few reference points to assist in understanding both the purpose of the structures and the endeavour that has gone into documenting them, there are plaques which hold the promise of information. Unfortunately for the archeologist for some unknown reason most of the plaques have been removed.
Familiar Australian roadside architectural formations are made strange, the outback/desert landscape rethought –– all amounting to a metaphysical journey through an enigmatic post-apocalyptic ecology. The film makes use of existing documentary film media to reimagine the Australian landscape and the impact of colonisation.
Roadside Picnic is the first in a series of short (<10 min.) hybrid documentary films, set in places and situations that re-contextualise dominant narratives. Further explorations include landscapes affected by bushfires, “feral” animals, gas fracking, prospective weapons testing sites, dam sites and potential space bases in the Kimberly and the NT.
The Library Of NeverWhere*
an observational film set in the town library of Alice Springs.
The setting may be generically familiar, but this library provides services that go well beyond books. This unique central australian library is a haven for many locals needing refuge from the vicissitudes and injustices of the world.
The Alice Springs town library is a liminal imported space where people come to escape the heat and temporarily be immersed in ways of knowing that cross cultures and language barriers.The film is To Be And To Have set in the desert rather than rural France.
early stage development. seeking funding for initial research.
* The neither state of Neverwhere
is hard to place as near or far
since all things that didn’t take place are there
and things that have lost the place they took.
Les Murray “The Chimes of Neverwhere”