Don Featherstone

Don Featherstone is an Australian filmmaker. His work includes documentaries about significant figures in Australian arts and culture, including authors David Malouf and Tim Winton, artist Brett Whiteley and dancer Robert Helpmann. Featherstone's works address social and historical issues such as beach culture, The Beach, gangs, The One Percenters about the Milperra Massacre,

Featherstone's satirical mockumentary for television, BabaKiueria, has been the subject of academic comparative analysis of imperial historicity and postcolonial social progress. It has also been included in cultural exchanges, for example in "Southern Exposure" between the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney and the Museum Of Contemporary Art, San Diego.

In 1985 Featherstone co-founded Featherstone Productions with Judy Featherstone.

Filmography Selected works include: Food for Thought (1977); writer, director Hey Look That's Me (1978);director William Cobbett's Rural Rides (1979); director; Erte (1979); director; The London Programme (1979-1982); director The South Bank Show (1982-1985); director Ed McBain (1982); director Jack Lemmon (1982); director John Le Carre (1983); director Msistlav Rostropovich (1983); director Barry Flanagan (1983); director David Hockney (1983); director Ivo Pogorelich (1984); director Robert Lowell (1984); director Alan Bleasedale (1985); director The Science of Winning (1985); director Arthur Boyd: Figures in the Landscape (1985); director, producer Featherstone Productions; Sydney Babakiueria (1986); director Heal or Hoax (1986); director Aussies (1987); director Beautiful Lies: A Film About Peter Carey (1986); producer, co-writer, director; Featherstone Productions; Sydney Dreamtime, Machinetime 1987; director, producer, writer Featherstone Productions; Sydney Slow Boat from Surabaya (1988); director Creative Spirits (1989); producer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney Difficult Pleasure: A Portrait of Brett Whiteley (1989) producer, director Astonish Me, Graeme Murphy (1989); producer There's No Time, Peter Sculthorpe (1989); producer The Wizard From Oz, James Morrison (1989); producer God or Politics', Tom Keneally (1989); producer, director The Peoples' Diva', Joan Carden (1989); producer Tales of Helpmann (1990); co-producer, director Primetime, Featherstone Productions; Sydney Billy Tea and Goulash (1991); director The Daylight Moon: A Portrait of the Poet Les Murray (1991); producer, writer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney Fast Forward Exposed (1992); director Masterpiece (1992); co-producer, director; SBS, Featherstone Productions; Sydney Oondamooroo: Ernie Dingo (1992); director, co-producer Eric Rolls: Celebration of the Senses (1992); director, co-producer Make It New: Robert Klippel (1992); director, co-producer Right Said Fred: Fred Schepisi - Film Director (1993); director, co-producer Creative Spirits II (1993); director, producer Featherstone Productions; Sydney Lowering the Tone: 45 Years of Robyn Archer (1993); director, producer Bon Bons and Roses for Dorothy: Dorothy Hewett 1993; producer Dead Quick: Peter Corris 1993; producer Lighting Fires: Tim Storrier 1993; producer Creative Spirits III (1995); producer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney Tall Tales but True: David Williamson (1994); director, producer Smart's Labyrinth: Jeffrey Smart (1994); producer The Black Swan: Meryl Tankard Choreographer (1995); producer Wrestling The Angel: Blanche D'Alpuget (1995); director, writer, producer Dance of Nature: The Music of Ross Edwards (1995); producer, director, writer Featherstone Productions; Sydney Young Australian of the Year (1996); writer, director Featherstone Productions; Sydney An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer (1997); writer, director; Linfield, Sydney, AU; Film Australia RM Associates, ABC Television The Edge of the World: Tim Winton: Writer (1998); producer; Linfield, Sydney, AU; Film Australia RM Associates, ABC Television Art Zone (1998); writer, director The Maitland Wonder: Les Darcy (1998); director American Journeys (1999); writer, director I Witness: The Art of George Gittoes (1999); director, writer, producer Featherstone Productions; Sydney It Happened on Holiday (2000); writer, director The Beach (2000); coproducer, co-writer, director Centre Coast, Featherstone Productions; Sydney Sydney Revealed (2001); writer, director Australia Revealed (2002); writer, director The One Percenters (2005); writer, director Kokoda (2009); writer, director Singapore 1942 (2010); writer, director The War That Changed Us (2014); writer, co-director 100 Days to Victory (2018); writer, co-director

Awards and recognition Film awards and recognition include: Year Category Competition Work Status Ref 2019 Best Sound in a documentary AACTA Awards 100 Days to Victory 2019 Best Docu Drama ATOM Awards 100 Days to Victory 2019 Best History Documentary Canadian Screen Awards 100 Days to Victory 2014 Best Docu Drama ATOM Awards The War That Changed Us 2014 Most Outstanding Factual Program Logie Awards The War That Changed Us 2012 Best Documentary Series AACTA Awards Singapore 1942 2012 Gold - Dramatised Documentaries South Australia & Western Australia ACS Awards Singapore 1942 series - episode 2: End of the Empire 2012 Best Direction Asian Television Awards Singapore 1942 2012 Best Editing Asian Television Awards Singapore 1942 2011 Best History Production History Makers Awards New York Kokoda 2010 Best Documentary Series AFI Awards Kokoda series 2010 Best Documentary Sound AFI Awards Kokoda series - episode 1: The Invasion 2002 Outstanding Achievement Award IECF Hi-def Festival Tokyo The Beach 1998 Best International Documentary Hot Docs Festival in Toronto An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1998 Best Arts Documentary San Francisco Film & TV Festival An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1998 Best Arts Documentary Festival International du Film sur l'Art - Montreal An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1998 Best Original Score in a documentary Australian Composers Guild An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1997 Best Arts Documentary Banff International TV Festival An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1997 Greater Union Dendy Awards An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1997 New York Film & TV Festival An Imaginary Life: David Malouf: The Inner World of an Extraordinary Writer 1997 Best Arts Documentary Festival International du Film sur l'Art - Montreal Ross Edwards 1996 Best Arts Documentary Banff International TV Festival Ross Edwards 1996 IMZ Dance Screen Festival Meryl Tankard 1996 Best Film Grand Prix Video Dance Paris Meryl Tankard 1995 Best film Dance on Camera Film Festival, New York Meryl Tankard 1994 Best Television Documentary AFI Awards Creative Spirits 2 series - episode: Lowering the Tone: 45 Years of Robyn Archer 1993Best Arts Documentary Festival International du Film sur l'Art-Montreal The Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les Murray 1992 Awgies Award The Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les Murray 1991 Gold Plaque Award Chicago International Film Festival The Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les Murray 1991 New York Film & TV Festival The Daylight moon: A portrait of the poet Les Murray 1991 United Nations Media Peace Prize Billy Tea and Goulash 1990 International Emmy New York Robert Helpmann 1990 Gold Hugo Award Chicago Film Festival Difficult Pleasure: A portrait of Brett Whiteley 1990 Best Arts documentary Banff Television Festival Difficult Pleasure: A portrait of Brett Whiteley 1990 Best Television Documentary AFI Awards Astonish Me, Graeme Murphy 1996 New York Film & TV Festival Arthur Boyd 1985 Special Jury Prize San Francisco Film Festival Ed McBain 1985 Silver Award New York Film & TV Festival Ed McBain 1983 Best Arts Documentary BAFTA Award David Hockney 1983 Silver Award New York Film & TV Festival John LeCarré 1982 Silver Award New York Film & TV Festival King Cone