Best Australiana Podcasts (2024)

1
Sydney Underground Film Festival Director Nathan Senn on What Goes Into Running an Underground Film Festival 43:26

2d ago43:26

43:26

The upcoming 18th Annual Sydney Underground Film Festival kicks off in Newtown, NSW, on Thursday 12 September with a Smell-O-Rama screening of John Waters cult classic Female Trouble, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The festival runs until Sunday 15 September with a huge array of films and features ranging from the truly bonkers Vulcanizadora to …

1
Starring Jerry As Himself Subject Jerry Hsu on the Troubles of Being Recruited as an Undercover Agent 46:23

4h ago46:23

46:23

Law Chen's familial documentary Starring Jerry as Himself follows retired Florida man Jerry C. Hsu as he's recruited by Chinese police to become an undercover agent. The documentary follows Jerry as he retells his story about how he was recruited, what actions he needed to take to help inform the agents, and, most importantly, the lengths he goes t…

1
Mike Cheslik and Co Explain Why Hundreds of Beavers is the Must See Indie Event of the Year 26:55

21m ago26:55

26:55

One of the smash hit films of the year on the festival circuit has been Mike Cheslik's wonderfully inventive Hundreds of Beavers. Ahead of the films launch in Australia earlier this year, Nadine Whitney caught up with the creative team behind the film to discuss all of its eccentricities. Nadine wrote about the film in her review saying: Describing…

1
Joseph Nizeti Invites Us Into the World of Fungi: Web of Life 46:35

9h ago46:35

46:35

With 2021s phenomenal documentary River under his belt, filmmaker and musician Joseph Nizeti is no stranger to bringing the world of nature to life on the big screen in a way that transforms how we see the environment with live alongside. With his latest film, Fungi: Web of Life, which he co-directs alongside Gisela Kaufmann, Joseph turns from the …

1
The Organist Filmmakers Andy Burkitt and Jack Braddy on Their Hilarious Cost of Organs Crisis Dark Comedy 56:08

21d ago56:08

56:08

When tickets went on sale for Andy Burkitt and Jack Braddy's independent Australian feature film, The Organist, at the 2024 Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), the filmmakers managed a rare feat: they sold out their first two screenings, with a third screening quickly being scheduled. Receiving wide audience support for their world premie…

1
Comedian Akmal Saleh on His Voice Acting Improv in 200% Wolf 18:47

17d ago18:47

18:47

Akmal Saleh is one of Australia's finest stand up comedians having spent decades keeping Australians entertained through his observant and enjoyable brand of comedy. When not on the stage, Akmal can be heard on screen in an array of kids animated shows like The Wild Adventures of Blinky Bill, Tracey McBean, and the superb animated series 100% Wolf.…

1
In a Violent Nature Director Chris Nash on His Pure Slasher Horror Experience 23:18

28d ago23:18

23:18

In a Violent Nature is one of the most gruesome and gory horror films of the year. It's also a film that Nadine Whitney has called a pure slasher death trip. Director Chris Nash takes audiences on the slasher ride of the year, with his camera following the gnarly Johnny (Ry Barrett) as a silent brute slaughtering an array of college kids who possib…

1
Afterwar Director Birgitte Stærmose Talks About the Nature of Truth in This Interview 37:47

2M ago37:47

37:47

Ruby O'Sullivan-Belfrage is a writer and critic who works and plays on unceded Wurundjeri land. In the wake of Afterwar’s screening at Sydney Film Festival, Ruby O’Sullivan-Belfrage spoke with director Birgitte Stærmose about the impact she hopes the film has, the nature of truth, and how truly annoying the question of genre can be. Afterwar screen…

1
Stubbornly Here Director Taylor Broadley Talks About Disappearing Teens and Positive Nostalgia in This Interview 54:53

2M ago54:53

54:53

Taylor Broadley's feature debut film Stubbornly Here is a welcome blast of indie filmmaking inventiveness with the Perth-based filmmaker presenting a sci-fi-adjacent story about three teens who live in an apathetic society where teenagers sometimes vanish into thin air. Stubbornly Here speaks to the anxieties of the day, focusing on a generation of…

1
Sydney Film Festival: 200% Wolf Director Alexs Stadermann and Star Ilai Swindells on Funny Farts in Films 39:32

3M ago39:32

39:32

There's space in this Bluey obsessed world for two Aussie animated canine stories, with Alexs Stadermann's utterly delightful and wonderfully inventive series 100% Wolf following the exploits of one Freddy Lupin, a werewolf who turns into a puffy pink poodle when the moon comes out. Kicking off in 2019 with the bright and brilliant 100% Wolf which …

1
Sydney Film Festival: Kid Snow Director Paul Goldman on the Allure of a Boxing Drama 23:18

3M ago23:18

23:18

The boxing film subgenre gets an esteemed new entry in the form of Paul Goldman's Kid Snow. Set in the 1970s, Kid Snow follows Billy Howle as the titular character, a washed-up fighter who has one last shot at glory. Shot in the red dirt of WA, Kid Snow also features an impressive line-up of Aussie actors including Phoebe Tonkin, Hunter Page-Lochar…

1
Sydney Film Festival - Flathead Director Jaydon Martin on Dismantling the Modern Australian Identity via the Docu-Fiction Experience 54:43

3M ago54:43

54:43

One of the finest films having its Australian premiere at the festival is Jaydon Martin's stunning feature debut film Flathead. This fiction-documentary hybrid film follows Cass Cumerford, a bloke near the end of his days who returns to Bundaberg, the region he grew up. Swaying into the town, he finds consolation and support with various religious …

1
Sydney Film Festival: In Vitro Directors Will Howarth and Tom McKeith On Their Grounded Sci-Fi Film 20:21

3M ago20:21

20:21

In Vitro is the highly anticipated follow-up from Will Howarth (Bombay Beach) and Tom McKeith (Beast, SFF 2016) after their debut feature Beast was nominated for Best First Feature at Toronto International Film Festival 2015. Starring the director Will Howarth, Ashley Zukerman (Fear Street) and Talia Zucker (Lake Mungo). On an isolated cattle farm,…

1
From Hilde, With Love Director Andreas Dresen on Beauty within a Dark Story 32:10

4M ago32:10

32:10

The 2024 German Film Festival is currently underway across Australia with screenings taking place from 7 May to 5 June. The poster film for the festival is From Hilde, With Love, by director Andreas Dresen. In the following interview, Nadine Whitney and Andreas talk about his interest in telling the story of Hilde Coppi on screen. Hilde was a young…

1
Shape Director Roger Ungers Talks About Body Positivity in the Gay Community in This Interview 26:04

4M ago26:04

26:04

Roger Ungers is a documentarian who continually presents a new perspective on the world around us. His 2020 documentary Finding Creativity saw him explore the complex nature of creativity, and in turn, he reflects on his own creativity. That personal touch is brought to his latest documentary, Shape. This is a film about physicality and the at time…

1
Katherine Grace on Working with Friend Holly Dodd on the Horror Short Alison & Betty 35:00

5M ago35:00

35:00

There's something in the water in Perth that leads to a creative movement from local filmmakers who push through microbudget limitations to tell engaging and inventive stories on screen. For emerging filmmakers Katherine Grace and Holly Dodd, that drive for creativity comes in the form of working together as actors and directors on a duo of short f…

1
The Road to Patagonia Director Matty Hannon Talks About Living with the Land in This Interview 20:55

6M ago20:55

20:55

As a young man, Matty Hannon explored the world, sinking roots in the Southeast Asian region. Here, he made lifelong friends, became part of families, and fostered a connection with the land that was ultimately severed when he had to return home to Australia to kick off a 'career'. The towering metal structures that became the home for his monotono…

1
The Deepest Breath Composer Nainita Desai On the Art of Composing for Documentaries 55:22

6M ago55:22

55:22

Nainita Desai is an award-winning composer whose work has spanned creative formats, from documentaries like The Reason I Jump where she won an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition, to TV series like Funny Women, to video games like Telling Lies and Immortality. With over 150 credits to her name, Nainita is nothing short of prolific. In the follow…

1
Daniel Monks Talks Through His Career From Pulse to In the Room Where He Waits in This Interview 1:04:09

7M ago1:04:09

1:04:09

Daniel Monks is an award winning theatre and film actor who hails from Perth, Western Australia. He received an AACTA nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role for the feature film Pulse, a story about a disabled teen who undergoes radical surgery to turn into a beautiful woman in a bid to be loved and embraced. Daniel wrote the script and worked…

1
Carl Joseph Papa Talks About How Richard Linklater Influenced His Rotoscoped Animation The Missing in This Interview 37:20

7M ago37:20

37:20

Listeners should note that the following interview contains discussions on childhood sexual abuse and trauma. Writer-director Carl Joseph Papa's The Missing follows Eric (Carlo Aquino), a young man who lives alone, maintains a crush on his coworker Carlo (Gio Gahol), and has a strong bond with his mother Rosalinda (Dolly De Leon). Rosalinda's reque…

1
Carissa Lee Talks About Navigating Barriers in the Australian Arts System in This Interview 45:10

7M ago45:10

45:10

Carissa Lee is a Noongar actor and writer whose work spans from critical analysis, to theatre, to the new ABC Kids series, Planet Lulin, where she plays Principal Cruz. Carissa's critical work has appeared in publications like Kill Your Darlings, IndigenousX, and Witness Performance, where her writing examined culture and the arts through an Indige…

1
Robert Connolly on Why Force of Nature Was His Hardest Film Shoot Yet in This Interview 22:33

7M ago22:33

22:33

Robert Connolly is one of Australia's great modern directors, having exploded onto the film scene some twenty years ago with The Bank, which was nominated for Best Picture and Best Director at the AFI awards, which he swiftly followed up with an impressive body of work that includes Paper Planes, The Turning, Balibo, Blueback, and the 2021 adaptati…

1
Patricia Clarkson Talks About Working Alongside Trace Lysette in the LGBTIQA+ Drama Monica in This Interview 28:43

8M ago28:43

28:43

For as long as I've been a devotee of cinema, I've followed the career of Patricia Clarkson. Patricia is a genuine queen of the screen, featuring in films like The Station Agent, Far From Heaven, The Green Mile, and Pieces of April, for which she received an Academy Award nomination. Her latest films is the magnificent drama film Monica, featuring …

1
Sundance Interview - The Moogai Cinematographer Sean Ryan Talks About Crafting Tension on Screen for this Aboriginal Horror Film 25:32

8M ago25:32

25:32

Jon Bell's unsettling 2021 short film, The Moogai, receives the feature film treatment with his 2024 horror of the same name. Making its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, The Moogai follows in the steps of other Australian horror films (Talk to Me, Relic, You Won't Be Alone) to have left their mark at the fest. It follows the story of I…

1
Bad Vibrations Writer/Director Nicole Delprado and Annabel Maclean Talking About Flickerfest and Creating Tension with a Theramine in This Interview 41:42

8M ago41:42

41:42

Australian horror is experiencing something of a renaissance at the moment with the box office boom of Talk to Me, and the critical success of Godless, Monolith, You'll Never Find Me, Birdeater, and so many more. As we leave 2023 in the dust and we head into 2024, we want to start the year by continuing this celebration of ocker horror with the new…

1
The First Episode of 2024 11:24

8M ago11:24

11:24

To help support The Curb on Patreon, please visit Patreon.com/TheCurbAu. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1
Christmess Writer/Director Heath Davis Talks About Creating His Best Film Yet in This Interview 40:37

10M ago40:37

40:37

Aussie indie filmmaker powerhouse Heath Davis is back with his fourth feature film, Christmess. This seasonally appropriate flick follows on fom his grounded work with his solid debut film Broke, in 2016. Heath quickly followed this up with the black comedy Book Week, before swerving into thriller territory with Locusts. Here we follow washed up al…

1
Isla's Way Director Marion Pilowsky Talks About the Importance of Seeing the Story of an 87-Year-Old Woman in a Cinema in This Interview 37:34

10M ago37:34

37:34

Much of what I do with The Curb is in a bid to shine a light on voices that may not often get the chance to be heard. That mindset carries through with director Marion Pilowsky's tenderly empathetic and joyfully curious documentary Isla's Way. Here we meet Isla Roberts. Isla isn't a lesbian. She's not a lezzo. She's not a dyke. She's just Isla Robe…

1
Cat Person Director Susanna Fogel Talks About Presenting the Grey Area of Modern Dating on Screen in This Interview 17:00

10M ago17:00

17:00

When the short story Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian was published in The New Yorker in 2017, it immediately went viral with readers resonating with the way modern day dating can quickly turn toxic. It's a compelling place for director Susanna Fogel to build from with her adaptation of the short story, scripted by Michelle Ashford. Here, Cat Person…

1
Scott Hicks Talks About Exploring The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process in This Interview 25:06

10M ago25:06

25:06

Scott Hicks is an Academy Award nominated director, with his Best Picture nominated film Shine bringing his work to international attention, alongside the work of the films subject, pianist David Helfgott. We're now some twenty-six years removed from the release of Shine, and the echoes of its impact continues to resonate within the creative minds …

1
Bromley: Light After Dark - David & Yuge Bromley and Director Sean McDonald Chat About Creating a Space for Open Vulnerability in This Interview 37:24

10M ago37:24

37:24

Every so often a presence swirls into our lives in an unexpected manner and changes it just a little bit. For many Australians, whether they be wealthy or not-so-wealthy, that presence is David Bromley. Here is a celebrated artist whose work features on the walls of galleries and private art collectors, while the same artwork adorns cologne labels,…

1
A Savage Christmas Director Madeleine Dyer Talks About Crafting a Comedic Aussie Christmas in This Interview 35:47

10M ago35:47

35:47

Madeleine Dyer is a writer, actor, director, and producer, whose body of work includes the 2017 comedy series Sexy Herpes, the acclaimed comedy series Colin from Accounts, where she worked with her sister Harriet Dyer, and now her latest film, A Savage Christmas, out in cinemas on 16 November 2023. A Savage Christmas tells the story of the Savage f…

1
Bird Drone Director Radheya Jegatheva Talks About Perth Sunsets and Seagulls in This Interview 28:05

10M ago28:05

28:05

Radheya Jegatheva is a Perth based filmmaker. His work includes the award winning short Pacing the Pool, about Perth local Richard Pace, and The Quiet, an animated film about an astronaut contemplating existence. His latest short animated film, Bird Drone, is a collaboration with writer Clare Toonen and producer Hannah Ngo. It tells the story of a …

1
Damage Director Madeleine Blackwell Talks About Working Alongside Ali Al Jenabi to Bring This Story of Humanity to Life in This Interview 26:30

10M ago26:30

26:30

With her delicate and gentle drama Damage, director Madeleine Blackwell has crafted a parable that layers grief, trauma, a sense of location and what it means to live away from home, and more into an emotionally enriching experience. Damage follows Ali, played by Ali Al Jenabi, a refugee in Australia using a friends taxi license to earn some small …

1
My Darling in Stirling Director Bill Mousoulis Talks About Creating a Musical in the Adelaide Hills in This Interview 35:38

11M ago35:38

35:38

Filmmaker, critic, and cultural historian Bill Mousoulis has forged a career as, in the truest sense of the word, an independent filmmaker in Australia. His filmography spans over decades, with his works showcasing a keen sense of curiosity for the world around him, whether it be Greece, Melbourne, or as in his latest film My Darling in Stirling, t…

1
Foe Director Garth Davis Talks About Creating a Human Connection on Screen with Saorise Ronan and Paul Mescal in This Interview 22:58

11M ago22:58

22:58

Garth Davis is a filmmaker who has explored the human need for connection in his films. Whether it's in his Best Picture nominee Lion, or in his latest film, Foe, that sense of being one with the person you love is a tangible thread throughout his career. In the following interview, Garth talks about that sense of connection, while also talking abo…

1
Anupam Sharma Breaks Down His Documentary Brand Hollywood Downunder in This Interview 25:14

11M ago25:14

25:14

Filmmaker Anupam Sharma talks about his new documentary Brand Bollywood Downunder in this in depth interview which touches on the cross-cultural relationship between India and Australia on screen, what makes a Bollywood film a Bollywood film, and about the Australian Indian Visual Co-Production treaty. Anupam is the director of cross-culture films …

1
Paullina Simons Talks About Her New Novel Light at Lavelle and the Emotionality of Her Characters in This Interview 33:49

11M ago33:49

33:49

In this episode, Andrew interviews celebrated author Paullina Simons about her latest novel, Light at Lavelle. It tells the story Finn Evans, a Bostonian banker who at the end of the 1920s finds his life unexpectedly swirling into the orbit of Isabelle Lazar, a young Ukrainian farmer. Light at Lavelle takes readers on a journey over the breadth of …

1
Monolith Director Matt Vesely Talks About Why South Australia is the Hotbed for Genre Filmmaking Right Now in This Interview 38:41

11M ago38:41

38:41

On this episode, Andrew chats with director Matt Vesely about his feature film debut Monolith. Monolith is a chilling sci-fi thriller follows a journalist, played by Lily Sullivan, whose livelihood is at stake after a defamation case threatens her career. In a bid to escape the pressure of the case, she heads to her parents remote home and starts w…

1
Editor William Goldenberg and Costume Designer Charlese Antoinette Jones Talk About Working on Ben Affleck's Air in These Interviews 32:06

11M ago32:06

32:06

In this double interview episode, Andrew chats with two of the creative minds behind Ben Affleck's latest film, Air. Air tells the story of how sports marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) pursued Michael Jordan and changed history for Nike and basketball with the creation of the iconic Air Jordan shoe. First up is Academy Award winning ed…

1
Love is in the Air Director Adrian Powers Talks About Working with Delta Goodrem in Paradise in This Interview 36:23

11M ago36:23

36:23

On this episode, Andrew chats to writer, director, and editor Adrian Powers about his new film Love is in the Air. This romantic drama tells the story of Dana, played by Delta Goodrem in her return to acting. Dana is a seaplane pilot in Far North Queensland and when she's not monitoring the region from the skies, she's delivering much needed suppli…

1
Suka Director Heidi Lee Douglas Talks About Shooting Neon-Noir Action on the Streets of Western Sydney in This Interview 17:27

11M ago17:27

17:27

In this episode, Andrew interview filmmaker Heidi Lee Douglas about her new film Suka. Written by Tsu Shan Chambers and Lily Cheng, this neon-soaked action flick tells a story that spans decades, detailing the the fury that rages between two feuding families in Western Sydney. Suka is both a multi-cultural Romeo and Juliet style revenge film, with …

1
Matthew Holmes Talks About the Tangible Tension of Thriller Film The Cost in This Interview 51:40

11M ago51:40

51:40

Listeners are advised that this podcast includes mention of sexual assault and trauma. In this episode, Andrew interviews writer and director Matthew Holmes about his latest film, The Cost. This is a searing vigilante thriller that tells the story of two men, David and Aaron, who abduct the newly released felon Troy to inflict their own version of …

1
Rebel With a Cause Producers Dena Curtis and Citt Williams Talk About Amplifying First Nations Trailblazers in This Interview 32:36

12M ago32:36

32:36

In this episode Andrew interviews Dena Curtis and Citt Williams who are the producers behind the new NITV four part series Rebel With a Cause. This compelling and engaging documentary series follows four First Nations trailblazers - Senator Neville Bonner, poet Oodgeroo Noonuccal, magistrate Pat O'Shane, and radio presenter and media icon Tiga Bayl…

1
Jack Dignan Opens Up About His Found Footage Horror Flick Puzzle Box in This Interview 34:11

12M ago34:11

34:11

On this episode Andrew chats with Aussie filmmaker Jack Dignan about his found footage horror film, Puzzle Box. Olivia (Laneikka Denne) heads out to a remote house in the woods to help her sister Kait (Kaitlyn Boyé) rehabilitate and escape her life of addiction. Olivia aims to document the process, almost in a way to show how far Kait will heal and…

1
1946 Academy Award Best Picture Winner: The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler) - Awards Don't Matter 49:07

12M ago49:07

49:07

Oh hey, would you believe it, Awards Don't Matter is back. After almost a two year break, we're back with an episode from the vault where David Giannini and Andrew F Peirce discuss the 1946 Best Picture winner The Best Years of Our Lives. Winner of an impressive seven Academy Awards, including Best Director (William Wyler), Best Actor (Frederic Mar…

1
Glenn Fraser and Amelia Foxton Unleash About Their Wicked Horror Flick Mother Tongue in This Interview 50:57

12M ago50:57

50:57

On this episode, Andrew chats with the filmmaking duo Glenn Fraser and Amelia Foxton about their latest film Mother Tongue, which screens at the upcoming A Night of Horror International Film Festival alongside Ursula Dabrowsky's The Devil's Work on September 28 2023. Mother Tongue tells the wickedly humourous tale of Alex (Chiara Gizzi) and Jade (A…

1
JJ Winlove Talks Crossing Paths and June Again in This Interview 34:14

12M ago34:14

34:14

Filmmaker JJ Winlove has managed an impressive feat for Australian film: having two films released in the same year. With the emotional June Again featuring a trio of excellent performances from Noni Hazelhurst, Claudia Karvan, and Stephen Curry, joining the immersive cinematic experience Crossing Paths, an interactive journey through Sydney as the…

1
The Land Director Ingvar Kenne Talks About Fractured Friendships and Unresolved Trauma in This Interview 31:15

12M ago31:15

31:15

On this episode I chat with director Ingvar Kenne about his haunting film The Land, which screened in 2022 at the Sydney Underground Film Festival and Europe's Snowdance Film Festival where Ingvar won the Best Direction Award. The Land follows Jeremy, played by Steve Rodgers, and Neets, played by Anna Lise Philips, a couple who have a life that man…

1
Paco Director Tim Carlier Talks About Crafting Joy with a Community of Creative Souls in This Interview 35:01

1y ago35:01

35:01

On this episode Andrew turns into a bit of a fanboy as he chats with writer and director Tim Carlier about his feature film Paco. This charming and quirky flick follows Manny, played by Manuel Ashman, a sound recordist who is working on a film set one day and has the worst thing happen to him: one of the actors has walked off with a radio microphon…

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