Smart Street Films in Bondi Beach | Film/Television studio

Smart Street Films

Locality: Bondi Beach

Phone: +61 2 9130 3434

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24.01.2022 On Monday Nov 30th @ 9pm NITV are screening our most recent work. SAM WATSON - The Street Fighting Years is an insight into the struggle Sam and fellow black activists went through in Brisbane under the right wing junta of Jo Bjelke-Petersen. Sam was a Black Panther who started the breakfast programme for kids, the Pig Patrol to monitor and report Police violence and fought the state at every turn, but particularly through the rule of law. Sam fought them through the courts and won the day.

20.01.2022 For everyone concerned about facial recognition technology invading privacy, here's the answer. This is Russian painter Natalia Goncharova in 1913. She wanted to get her art off the canvas and out of the gallery. She put it on her face and with colleagues wandered the streets as living canvases. It's also the way to confuse facial recognition software. So get to it. Break up the planes of your face and walk free knowing that the powers that be will sit there scratching their heads.

17.01.2022 Forty years ago before wheat grass sprouts was the tipple, crews could really drink. Ironically it was this hobby that was the key to shooting a unique film record we are now releasing. Christina Stead was one of Australia’s and the twentieth century’s greatest writers. From FOR LOVE ALONE to THE MAN WHO LOVED CHILDREN she was a unique and irascible talent. She had steadfastly refused all requests for a filmed interview. That is until Haydn Keenan and DoP Malcolm Richards ...went to talk to her in Melbourne. We didn’t have high hopes of success. It was about 10 in the morning as we sat stiffly exchanging niceties. After a while she innocently asked, Would you like a drink. Would we! The three of us got to work on a fresh bottle of gin and several hours later she agreed. Now for the first time we’ve released a DVD of the interview we shot conducted by Elizabeth Ridell and Haydn Keenan. Ms Stead is razor sharp, smart as a whip and takes no crap from anyone. What emerges is a unique portrait of a literary giant who speaks frankly about her life and times and the cultural scene in Australia. The video is now available at: https://www.smartstreetfilms.com.au/catalog/christina-stead See more

12.01.2022 BELLINGEN - The Promised Land Friend and filmmaking colleague Peter Gailey has just completed an extraordinary documentary on the hippy invasion of Bellingen on the North Coast of NSW in the 1970s. A dieing dairy community was envigorated by an influx of young people from the city looking for an alternate way of living. Bellingen - The Promised Land documents the friction and drama as two cultures collide. Using an incredible recently discovered film archive shot during the 7...0s the filmmakers have tracked down the players in this unusual story and got their thoughts on those days of high drama nearly fifty years ago. The film is screening at the Bellingen Memorial Hall a centre of hippy action at the time on January 2nd and 3rd (2pm & 7PM). Like the old surf films at this time of year the grass roots Australian film distribution technique of halls and mechanics institutes is still the best way for film makers to get some return on their efforts. If you're up that way it is worth a look. Beautifully made and a deeply human insight into how times changes. If you're in the area it's a must see. Here's a trailer: https://youtu.be/HpIFfWQfiII See more

11.01.2022 Smart St. is pleased to announce our acquisition of film rights to leading human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC's latest book. WHO OWN HISTORY is a detailed analysis of a number of treasures which have been looted from West Africa, Egypt, China and Australia by colonial powers. The majority of the items in question have ended up in museums across Europe, the U.K. and North America and the countries of origin are demanding their return. The book developed out of a repor...t Robertson produced with lawyer Amal Clooney for the Greek Government about how to get the Elgin Marbles currently held by the British Museum, returned and is a powerful demand for their repatriation. Repatriation is a matter of justice and human rights. Failure to return these cultural treasure is a denial of the enjoyment and potential inspiration they offer the young people of former colonies. The series, to be hosted by Geoffrey Robertson, will be a 6 part international co-production in conjunction with high end British documentary maker Spring Films. Spring have been twice nominated for Academy Awards and have won an Emmy, Peabody and BAFTA Awards. They have also produced all of Werner Herzog's film output for the last decade. In the current debate about historical narrative and the need to include other points of view - WHO OWNS HISTORY is going to be a powerful and timely addition to the debate.

05.01.2022 We've just delivered our newest project to broadcaster NITV. SAM WATSON - The Street Fighting Years is an intimate reflection by Aboriginal activist and Black Panther Sam Watson of life under the far right Bjelke-Petersen junta in Queensland. With Denis Walker, Sam established the Black Panther Party of Australia and set up a breakfast programme, the pig patrol and was integrally involved in the Aboriginal tent embassy in Canberra. This is a unique record of a time when black Queenslanders were struggling out from under the Aboriginal Protection Act which gave the state absolute power over their lives. We're waiting to hear from the broadcaster when the film will be scheduled.