Director / Producer
Lara Damiani
Lara Damiani is a passionate social-justice documentary-maker who directed, produced and distributed her first feature documentary about Tibet’s freedom struggle in 2008. She met and interviewed the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Prime Minister in exile and numerous former political prisoners including Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng. She is an advocate for education and outreach and founded The Tibet Project as a means of raising awareness about Tibet’s struggle beyond the film. Her documentary “Tibet’s Cry for Freedom” is currently screening on TV NZ and on Czech Television. It has also screened at more than 14 international film festivals and has had numerous screenings worldwide in Canada, the USA, Australia, the UK, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, France, Austria and New Zealand. Hear what Lara has to say about the making of her documentary on Tibet on these Australian television shows: Channel 7 Today Tonight and Channel 9 Sunday Program.
Tania Nehme
Tania Nehme has edited many successful award winning Feature and Documentary films, including ALEXANDRA’S PROJECT, THE TRACKER, TEN CANOES and CONTACT. She has over 20 years freelancing experience in picture and sound editing in a wide variety of genres, as well as TV series, promos, trailers, digital stories and award winning shorts.
Tania’s awards include an AFI for TEN CANOES starring the Ramingining Community of Arnhem Land, an IF award for THE OLD MAN WHO READ LOVE STORIES starring Richard Dreyfuss, and 2 Critics Circle awards for TEN CANOES and The BALANDA & THE BARK CANOES which she co directed with Molly Reynolds and Rolf de Heer. CONTACT, directed by Martin Butler & Bentley Dean won best documentary at the 2010 AFI awards and was also awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s History prize in 2010.
Her latest feature film, THE KING IS DEAD, will be a return to working with director Rolf de Heer and is due for release in 2012.
Stills Photographer/Camera Assistant
Rusty Stewart
Rusty Stewart is a photojournalist with more than twenty years news and current affairs experience working for national and international newspapers, news agencies and magazines. Originally from Northern Ireland, he is twice winner of the Provincial Press Photographer of the year Award for Northern Ireland. The United Nations Association of Australia has also selected his photography for inclusion in their annual Media Peace Prize Awards.
Assignments have included Northern Ireland, Bosnia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, the Middle East, the Americas, East Timor’s transition to independence and H.H. the Dalai Lama’s visit to Australia.
More recently he has also focussed on CCD work within Australia, often with indigenous communities. Employers have included the Fred Hollows Foundation, and The Torch Project. Over the last five years he has led documentary film and stills projects to deliver outcomes with the Yolngu and Jawoyn communities of Arnhem Land, the Barkindji communities of northwest Victoria and the Gunditjmara communities of southwest Victoria. He currently works for the Mt Theo Program in Central Australia.
Adviser
Jonathan Stack
Jonathan Stack is a multiple Emmy Award winning and two- time Academy Award® nominated documentary filmmaker. During his career Jonathan has written, produced and directed over 25 films and 50 television programs including The Farm, which was honored as Sundance Film Festival’s 1998 Grand Jury Prize winner. He has distributed his films through HBO, BBC, Channel Four, Discovery Channel, A&E and others.
While working as an independent filmmaker he earned a reputation for his unique ability to gain access into forbidden and even dangerous worlds. His exclusives include, President Charles Taylor’s farewell speech to the nation of Liberia (Liberia: An Uncivil War) and a rare interview with David Miscaivage, head of the Church of Scientology (Inside the Church of Scientology). In 2008 he produced Iron Ladies of Liberia, a film that tells the story of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa’s first female president.
Over the years he has consistently found a way to explore difficult subject matter often in intractably dark circumstances and despair, transforming it into stories of hope and possibility that reflect his ultimate belief – that by telling positive stories one helps to create a more positive world.
Monkeystack
Animators
Monkeystack is a 2D and 3D visual effects and animation company based in Adelaide, SA. They’ve serviced the advertising and film industries for the last six years providing high quality digital content to a broad range of clients. Monkeystack have won several awards for developing high quality Children’s animation and game content including AIMIA, ATOM awards as well as working closely with local broadcasters including ABC, SBS and Nickelodeon developing several children’s entertainment properties. Check out their showreel here
Think Films is always keen to get involved in new projects around the globe. Email lara[at]thinkfilms.com.au
