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Charlotte Mars, Philippa Bateman and Vera Hong named SheDoc recipients

Charlotte Mars, Vera Hong and Philippa Bateman. 

Create NSW, Documentary Australia Foundation and RØDE Microphones today announced Charlotte Mars, Philippa Bateman and Vera Hong as the recipients of this year’s SheDoc funding.

SheDoc is a targeted initiative to support female documentary filmmakers with up to $20,000, to be used as a grant to support their project’s travel, research, development, and/or other related expenses.

“The SheDoc program aims to make a pivotal intervention in a woman’s filmmaking career. By offering funding to facilitate opportunities that are self-directed and of benefit, our intention is to offer opportunities that would be difficult to undertake without our support,” said Documentary Australia Foundation CEO Mitzi Goldman.

“We’re very excited to bring SheDoc back this year. The selection of the final three recipients was a tough decision because there were many fantastic applicants. We encourage women to continuously seek opportunities to develop themselves professionally, no matter how long they have worked in the industry,”

Mars, a producer, will use the funding to support her move into directing and the development of her feature documentary, Muscle. Mars will undertake a mentorship with renowned visual artist and filmmaker Amos Gebhardt, who will come to Sydney for a creative development week on Mars’ feature, to be produced with Rita Walsh.

Bateman will undertake a producer placement in New York City at Jigsaw Productions, the company of documentary director and producer Alex Gibney (Taxi To The Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room ). Bateman will also advance the development and financing of her project American Hunter that she’s producing and co-writing with US-based Australian filmmaker Alex Kershaw.

Hong is to use the funding to develop a feature documentary about the repatriation of the ancestral remains of Mungo Man and kin to the Willandra Lakes Region in NSW, told through the voices of the Traditional Custodians, the Mutthi Mutthi, Barkandji and Ngiyaampa people. The director will work closely with Mutthi Mutthi elder, Aunty Mary Pappin as writer and cultural advisor while also working with documentary mentor Bridget Ikin.

“It’s exciting to partner with Documentary Australia Foundation once more to widen the opportunities for female documentary makers,” said Create NSW executive director for investment and engagement Elizabeth W. Scott.