CRITICAL
OVERVIEW:
I was drawn
to film-making as a means of examining (and perhaps influencing)
socio-political issues, and this is still one of my primary interests,
particularly in terms of documentary subject matter. I have made
films on subjects that include teenage single mothers, child sexual
abuse, sexual assault and ‘women’s issues’, indigenous issues,
and more recently I have researched a number of medically-based
documentaries since I have training in the area. The first of
these to be completed is the feature length documentary Rachel:
A Perfect Life, which is about a young woman with epilepsy.
Coming from
a musical background, my first directing work was on music clips
and my first two short films were musically-based (I’m Thankful
for What I’ve Got! and Coffee’s On).
I still retain
a keen interest in musical topics (such as the cultural appropriation
of music in Beating The Drum), as well as the integration
of music within films.
I have also
made several programs focusing around sporting teams – a fictitious
women’s basketball team (Gorilla Girls), the Australian
Paralympic wheelchair basketball teams (Screamin’ Wheelies),
and the Australian Women’s Tug of War team (Tug Of War)
- although each film has attempted to depict more than just the
sport on screen.
In terms
of dramatic content my taste is quite eclectic, but unlike many
directors I am not a drama writer so am dependent on the work
that writers bring to me, or on works that I read and option.
I generally prefer fairly complex and visual pieces, but am not
averse to light, humorous pieces either if there are interesting
characters involved. The current low-budget feature I am making
is a series of dialogues between women, and is more of a performance
piece than a visual work.
Fiona
Cochrane, May 2008
FILMOGRAPHY:
Music
clips for
The Dynamic Hepnotics (1984 & 1985)
I’m Thankful
for What I’ve Got! (1986, 17 mins, 16mm, musical short)
(Also
Writer/Producer/Editor)
Coffee’s
On! (1987, 26 mins, 16mm, musical short)
(Also
Writer/Producer/Editor)
So Young
(1989, 50 mins, video, documentary)
(Also
Writer)
The Dilemma
(1991, 25 mins, shot 16mm/completed video, drama/special)
Youth
Express (1992, television documentary series for SBS)
Director
of two episodes:
Is
Justice For All? (1992, 50 mins, video, documentary) (Also
Writer)
Is
Grass Greener? (1992, 30 mins, video, documentary) (Also
Writer)
Also
Co-ordinating Director of three other episodes in the series
Music
segments for NOMAD (SBS Music program, 1993/4)
Speaking
Up (1994, 40 mins, video, documentary)
(Also
Writer)
In the
Family (1994, 50 mins, video, documentary)
(Also
Writer/Producer)
Out of
Bounds (1995, 20 mins, video, children’s drama)
(Also
Co-producer)
Plaything?
(1995, 15 mins, video, educational)
(Also
Co-writer/Co-producer)
pgr: the
benefit of Public Education (1996/7, 50 mins, video, musical
performance/documentary)
(Also
Producer)
Gorilla
Girls (1997, 30 mins, 16mm, drama/comedy)
(Also
Co-producer)
Music
Segments (1997/8, 13 x 5 minutes for SBS)
Beating
the Drum (1998, 50 mins, video, documentary)
(Also
Co-writer/Co-producer)
Screamin’
Wheelies (1999/2000, 30 mins, video, documentary)
(Also
Writer/Producer)
Stories
and Songs of the People: They Came for Gathering (2000, 20
mins, video, musical performance/documentary)
(Also
Producer)
Tug of
War (2002, 30 mins, video, documentary)
(Also
Producer)
Stories
and Songs of the People: The Second Stage (2003, 50 mins,
video, musical performance/documentary)
(Also
Producer)
Seaman
Dan & Friends: Welcome to the Torres Strait
(2005, 26 mins, video, musical
documentary
(Also Producer)
We The
Jury (2006, 20 mins, educational video)
Rachel:
A Perfect Life (2007, 90 mins, video, feature documentary)
(Also Producer)
Four
of a Kind (2008, 115 mins, feature film)
(Also Producer)
Also
PRODUCER of:
Passiona
(1988, 30 mins, 16mm, drama, directed by Louise Hubbard)
Nirvana
Street Murder (1990, feature, 16/35 mm, directed by Aleksi
Vellis)
Holidays
on the River Yarra (1991, feature, 16/35mm, directed by Leo
Berkeley)
Rhino
Christmas (1991, 30 mins, 16 mm, children’s drama, directed
by John Armstrong)
Ideological
Landscapes (1998, 30 mins, video, experimental, directed by
Fiona MacDonald)
Into the
Dark (2001, 6 mins, 35 mm, animation, directed by Dennis
Tupicoff)
Taringa
4068: Our Place and Time (2002, 26 mins, video, documentary,
directed by Dennis Tupicoff)
Opera
Therapy (2005, 52 mins, video, documentary)
Chainsaw
(2007, 24 mins, animation)
Silly
and Serious: The Self-portraits of William Robinson (2008,
26 mins, video, documentary)
& numerous
educational videos
LINE PRODUCER
or CONSULTANT PRODUCER on numerous documentaries
and dramas.
AWARDS:
I’m Thankful
for What I’ve Got!
1987
GUO Awards Finalist
1988
ATOM Awards Finalist
So Young
1990
ATOM Award for Social Issues
The Dilemma
1990
Gold ACS (Vic) Award for Short Drama
1991
ATOM Award for Social Issues
Speaking
Up
Bronze
Medal at 1995 New York Festivals
In the
Family
Honourable
Mention at 1994 Chris Awards (USA)
Bronze
Award at 1995 Worldfest - Charleston (USA)
Bronze
Award at 1996 Worldfest - Houston (USA)
Honourable
Mention at 1996 CINDY Awards (USA)
Out of
Bounds
Bronze
plaque at 1995 Chris Awards (USA)
Certificate
of Merit at 1995 Chicago International Film Festival (USA)
Bronze
Apple at 1995 National Educational Media Awards (USA)
Finalist
at 1995 Worldfest - Charleston (USA)
Bronze
CINDY Award 1996 (USA)
Finalist
at 1996 ATOM Awards
Gorilla
Girls
Highly
Commended at 1997 Dendy Awards / Sydney Film Festival
Finalist
at 1997 Exposure International Short Film Festival (Australia)
in the categories of :
Best Film; Directing;
Scriptwriting; Editing;
Acting-Female;
Acting-Male.
Honourable
Mention at 1997 Chris Awards (USA)
Silver
Award in Short Narrative at 1997 Worldfest - Charleston (USA)
Best
of Show in Short Film at 1998 CINDY Awards (USA)
Gold
CINDY in Shorts at 1998 CINDY Awards (USA)
Special
Commendation at 1998 Canadian International Film & Video Festival
Certificate
of Merit at 1998 Mumbai International Film Festival (India)
Honourable
Mention at 1998 Rochester International Film Festival (USA)
Beating
the Drum
Bronze
Plaque at 1998 Columbus International Film & Video Awards
(USA)
Bronze
Award at 1998 Worldfest - Flagstaff International Film Festival
(USA)
Highly
Commended at 1998 Bathurst Film Festival
Gold
CINDY at the 1999 International CINDY competition (USA)
Gold
Special Jury Award at 1999 Worldfest - Houston International Film
Festival
Certificate
of Creative Excellence at 1999 US International Film & Video
Festival
Finalist
at 1999 Golden Rose of Montreux competition (Switzerland)
Honourable
Mention at 1999 Philafilm Int. Film Festival (USA)
Screamin’
Wheelies
Best
Independent Documentary at 2000 Canadian Int. Film & Video
Festival
Best
Independent Entry at 2000 Canadian Int. Film & Video Festival
Best
Video Documentary at 2000 Empire State Film Festival (USA)
Best
Documentary Short at 2000 Santa Clarita Film Festival (USA)
Best
Documentary Short at 2000 ATOM Awards (Australia)
Gold
Award in Sport at 2000 Worldfest - Houston (USA)
Silver
CINDY Award at 2000 International CINDY Competition (USA)
Bronze
Plaque at 2000 Columbus International Film & Video Awards
(USA)
Finalist
at 2000 Shanghai Television festival competition (China)
Finalist
at 2000 New York Festivals Television competition (USA)
Mention
of Honour at 2002 Sport Movies and TV (Italy)
Stories
and Songs of the People: They Came for Gathering
Best
Foreign Documentary at 2001 Santa Clarita International Film Festival
(USA)
Silver
CINDY at the 2001 International CINDY competition (USA)
Tug of
War
Certificate
of Merit at 2002 Intercom Film & Video Competition (USA)
Honourable
Mention at 2002 Columbus Int. Film & Video Awards (USA)
Bronze
Certificate of Merit at 2003 Prix Leonardo (Italy)
Gold
Remi Award at 2003 Worldfest - Houston (USA)
Seaman
Dan & friends: Welcome to the Torres Strait
Honourable
Mention at 2006 Chris Awards (USA)
Rachel:
A Perfect Life
Honourable
Mention at 2007 Accolade Competition (USA)
Gold Plaque at 2008 Hugo Television Awards / Chicago Int. Film
Festival
Finalist
at 2008 New York Festival Film & Video Awards
Also numerous awards for the films PRODUCED, such as
Nirvana
Street Murder
New
Australian Film Award at 1990 Frames Film Festival
Ideological
Landscapes
Gold
Award (Experimental section) at 1999 CINDY Awards (USA)
Honourable
Mention at 1999 CHRIS Awards (USA)
Certificate
of Merit at 1999 Festival of Nations Film Festival (Austria)
Into the
Dark
Official
Selection 2002 Annecy International Animation Festival
Silver
Hugo at 2002 Chicago International Film Festival
Certificate
of Merit, Animation Category at 2002 Golden Gate Awards
Finalist
in 2002 Dendy Awards (Sydney Film Festival)
Finalist
in Short Film at 2002 Australian Effects & Animation Awards
Finalist
for Best Short Film at 2002 Australian Film Critics Awards
Finalist
for Best Short Animation at 2002 AFI Awards
Taringa
4068: Our Place and Time
Bronze
Plaque at 2002 Chris Awards (USA)
2002
ACS (Qld) Cinematography Award for Documentary
Silver
Remi Award at 2003 Worldfest - Houston (USA)
Opera
Therapy
Silver
Hugo at 2006 Chicago International Film Festival
Best
Documentary Feature at 2006 Independents’ Film Festival (USA)
Winner
of the Chris Statuette at 2006 Chris Awards (USA)
FESTIVALS:
I’m Thankful
for What I’ve Got!
Locally
1987 Sydney Film Festival
1987 St Kilda Film Festival
1987 Spoleto Film Festival
In the
Family
Internationally
1994
Encontros Internacionais Cinema Documental (Portugal)
1995
Ankara International Film Festival (Turkey)
in addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Locally
1995
St Kilda Film Festival
Out of
Bounds
Internationally
1995
Atlantic Film Festival, Canada
1995
Cairo International Children’s Film Festival
1995
Chicago International Film Festival (USA)
in
addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Screened
on ABC-television for International Children’s Day in 1995
Gorilla
Girls
Internationally
1997
Boston Film Festival (USA)
1997
Antalya Golden Orange International Short Film Festival (Turkey)
1997
Siena International Short Film Festival (Italy)
1998
Festival Internazionale Cinema Delle Donne (Italy)
1998
Women in the Director’s Chair Film Festival, Chicago (USA)
1998
San Diego International Film Festival (USA)
1998
Minimalen Short Film Festival (Norway)
1998
Palm Beach International Film Festival (USA)
1998
Humboldt International Film Festival (USA)
The
Reel Frontier - 1998 Arizona International Film Festival (USA)
1998
International Film Festival of Uruguay
1998
Corto Imola International Short Film Festival (Italy)
1998
Central Florida Film & Video Festival (USA)
1998
Femmedia Film & Video Festival (Sweden)
1998
Canadian International Film & Video Festival
1998
Mumbai International Film Festival (India)
1998
Rochester International Film Festival (USA)
1999
St John’s International Women’s Film & Video Festival (Canada)
Kinofilm
‘99, Manchester International Short Film Festival (UK)
in
addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Locally
1997
Sydney Film Festival
1997
St Kilda Film Festival
1997
Exposure International Short Film Festival
1997
Bathurst Film Festival,
1997
Open City Film Festival
1997
WOW (Women On Women) Festival (touring)
The
1997 Women’s Push (Bendigo Arts Festival)
The
Showtime shorts selection at 1997 SPAA Conference
1998
WAVE Festival
Flickerfest
‘98
1998
Edge of the World Film Festival
1998
"Movies by Moonlight" Canberra Festival
1999
REVelation Independent Film Festival (touring)
&
as part of touring AFI theatrical shorts program - "Kiss
Kiss Boom Boom".
Beating
the Drum
Internationally
1998
Encontros Internacionais Cinema Documental (Portugal)
1999
Mumbai International Film Festival (India)
1999
Dublin Film Festival (Ireland)
1999
International Independent.Film Festival of Brussels (Belgium)
1999
US International Film & Video Festival
1999
Philafilm Int. Film Festival (USA)
in
addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Locally
1998
Bathurst Film Festival
Screamin’
Wheelies
Internationally
2000
Canadian Int. Film & Video Festival
2000
Empire State Film Festival (USA)
2000
Santa Clarita Film Festival (USA)
2000
Shanghai Television festival (China)
2000
New York Festivals (USA)
2000
Festival of Nations (Austria)
2002
Sport Movies and TV (Italy)
in
addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Locally
Eye
Candy 2000
Screened
on ABC TV for the opening of the 2000 Paralympic Games
Stories
and Songs of the People: They Came for Gathering
Internationally
2001
Canadian International Annual Film & Video Festival
2001
Santa Clarita International Film Festival (USA)
in
addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Locally
2001
St Kilda Film Festival
Eye
Candy 2001
2001
Splendour in the Grass – On Screen Gallery
Tug of
War
Internationally
2002
Naked Eye Documentary Festival (USA)
2002
Female Eye Film Festival (Canada)
2002
Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival (USA)
2002
Ohio Independent Film Festival (USA)
2002
Festival der Nationen (Austria)
Sport
Movies & TV 2002 (Italy)
2003
New York screening by Ohio Independent Film Festival (USA)
2003
Palm Beach International Film Festival (USA)
2003
International Family Film Festival (USA)
2003
Myhelan Indie Film Festival (USA)
in
addition to competitions at which awards were won (above)
Seaman
Dan & friends: Welcome to the Torres Strait
Locally
2006
St Kilda Film Festival
Internationally
2006 Festival
der Nationen (Austria)
2006
Independents’ Film Festival (USA)
2006
Heart of Gold Festival
2007
International Festival of Films on Culture (India)
Rachel:
A Perfect Life
Locally
2007 Sydney
Film Festival
Internationally
2008 POW fest
(USA)
2008
Mumbai International Film Festival
Also
numerous festivals for the films PRODUCED, such as:
Holidays
on the River Yarra
Official
Selection "Un Certain Regard" at 1991 Cannes Film Festival
1991
Melbourne Film Festival
1991
Tokyo Film Festival
1991
Chicago Film Festival
1991 Edinburgh Film Festival
1991
Montreal Film Festival
1991
Vancouver Film Festival
1992
Sundance Film Festival
1992
Annonay Film Festival
1992
Valenciennes Film Festival
1992
Umea Film Festival
Film
Victoria’s URBAN EDGE festival in London & Washington (1994)
STRICTLY
OZ: A History of Australian Film retrospective in New York (1995)
Into the
Dark
2002
San Francisco International Film Festival
2002
Stuttgart International Animation Festival
2002
St Petersburg "Message to Man" International Film Festival
(Russia)
2002
Dresden International Festival for Animation & Short Films
(Germany)
2002
Anima Mundi (Brazil)
2002
Montecatini Terme International Short Film Festival (Italy)
2002
Brisbane International Film Festival (Australia)
2002
KROK Festival (Russia)
2002 Cork Film Festival (Ireland)
2002
Chicago International Film Festival (USA)
2002
Dokfestival Leipzig (Germany)
2002
Brisbane International Animation Festival (Australia)
2002
Ottawa International Animation Festival (Canada)
2002
Black Nights Film Festival (Estonia)
2002
Holland Animation Film Festival
21st
Century Oz: New Australian Film (Festival in Germany)
2003
Nashville Independent Film Festival (USA)
Taringa
4068: Our Place and Time
2002 Brisbane
International Film Festival (Australia)
2003 International Festival of Film on Art (Canada)
2003
BEYOND MEDIA – International Festival of Architecture in Video
(Italy)
2003
Ohio Independent Film Festival
2003
Festival Der Nationen (Austria)
2003
St Kilda Film Festival (Australia)
2004 International Family Film Festival (USA)
2004 Delta Film Festival (USA)
Chainsaw
2008 Stuttgart
International Animation festival
2008
Annecy International Animation Festival
2008
Oberhausen International short Film Festival
2008
Nashville Film Festival
2008
Worldwide Short Film Festival (Canada)
2008
Melbourne International Film Festival
2008
Athens International Film Festival (US)
2008
Seoul Animation Festival
2008
Brisbane International Film Festival
SELECT
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Reviews of
all films are available from Fiona
Cochrane.
©
Fiona Cochrane, May 2008
Fiona
Cochrane's website
Contact
Fiona Cochrane
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