We amplify powerful documentaries to inspire action on important social issues
Our mission and impact
We connect filmmakers, activists, educators and change-makers and empower them to maximise their advocacy and impact goals.
It is our mission to advance awareness and inspire action on important social issues by supporting independent documentary filmmakers and organisations on the front-lines of social change, and amplifying the impact of their works to encourage empathy, activism and social transformation.
Our expertise, guidance and resources help creatives, not-for-profits, educators, and change-makers work together to achieve their goals and maximise their social impact through the power of documentary.
We enable impact documentary projects to raise tax-deductible funding and make it possible for passionate philanthropists to collaborate with filmmakers to tell stories that change lives.
We support documentaries that inspire change across a broad range of issues
Our team
Dr Mitzi Goldman
Chief Executive Officer
Mitzi has been working in the film industry for over 35 years as a documentary director, producer and editor. Alongside her production career she has worked in the academy teaching documentary production and screen studies at Murdoch University WA before being employed as co-head of documentary department at the national film school, AFTRS for 6 years.
Mitzi’s credits include: as Producer – KaChing! Pokie Nation; Night Parrot Stories; Memoirs of a Plague; End of the Rainbow. As Director – Jez: A Letter for life; A Common Purpose; Chinese Take Away; Hatred and as Executive Producer – Incarceration Nation; Backtrack Boys; Undermined: Tales of the Kimberley; Leunig Fragments; Zach’s Ceremony; Constance on the Edge; I Am a Girl; Surgery Ship.
Mitzi has a Phd in Cultural Studies. She co-founded and is the CEO of Documentary Australia, which has developed a new paradigm for funding and outreach of social impact documentary films. Documentary Australia is a not-for-profit organisation that connects philanthropy and filmmaking to inspire social change.
She has been a board director of the Film and Television Institute in Western Australia and AIDC (Australian International Documentary Conference where she served as co-chair for 3 years). She was Jury President at APSA in 2018 and has participated on juries of film festivals in Australia (SFF, AACTA, ADG, Walkleys, Logies, Persian International Film Festival), in Iran (Tehran International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival) China (Guangzhou Documentary Film Festival).
Lisa Sherrard
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer
Lisa came to the film industry after a career in banking and has a strong background in accounting and finance. Lisa Sherrard is a Production Accountant and Producer. Lisa worked on the distribution and impact campaign for Gayby Baby (2015) and with Screen Impact on the distribution of Motorkite Dreaming (2016). In 2018 Lisa gained her Diploma in Production Accounting from the Australian Film and Television School. Lisa most recently worked on Wash My Soul In the River’s Flow (2021) as Production Accountant. She was also a Producer and a part of the impact team for The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone (2022). Lisa had a variety of roles on In My Blood It Runs (2019) including Associate Producer and Production Accountant as well as part of the impact team. She is a founding member of Unquiet Collective. Lisa works part time at Documentary Australia as our Chief Financial Officer.
Annie Scoufis
Office Manager
Commencing with Documentary Australia in January 2017, Annie has 15 years’ experience working in the not-for-profit sector, including providing NSW/ACT Member Services for Philanthropy Australia, the national peak body for trusts and foundations, and as Grants and Office Manager for the Nelson Meers Foundation. Annie’s career has spanned all areas of philanthropy. She has had a continual interface with Australian philanthropists and non-profit members, and coordinated specialised events for Philanthropy Australia whilst also managing an array of databases and applications; supported the implementation of strategic plans; managed national conferences and coordinated the logistics for a philanthropists’ New York Study tour in 2014. Annie has a passionate interest in documentary film and is excited to have joined the Documentary Australia team.
Connect with Annie on LinkedIn
Sharlene Dadd
Head of Partnerships & Communications
Lucy Corrigan
Head of Impact & Evaluation
Stephanie King
Impact Director
Stephanie (she/her) is a documentary filmmaker and impact producer working on unceded Gadigal, Gooniyandi and Bunuba lands. She is known for Undermined – Tales From the Kimberley, which premiered at MIFF and was awarded the Antenna Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary ahead of festivals and a national cinema release. As a director, Stephanie has created short docs for The Guardian, The Australian, The West and National Indigenous Times. Her series Voices of the River premiered at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival and won Best Documentary awards at Sydney Web Fest, Apulia Web Fest, and New Zealand Web Fest, before releasing online with impact partners and achieving a record 43,000 submissions to a government inquiry. She made follow-up series Martuwarra: River of Life with the Martuwarra Council for broadcast on NITV in 2022. Stephanie has consulted on Telly Award-winning Young, Black and Behind Bars (Al Jazeera), Incarceration Nation (NITV/SBS) and Climate Change & Other Small Talk (Why Not Theatre), and was a 2021 fellow with UnionDocs Center for Documentary Art in Brooklyn, NY.
Stephanie has also worked in the university sector, winning Green Gown Awards for her social welfare and environmental sustainability campaigns at University of Technology Sydney. She recently worked as a researcher on Indigenous housing, climate change, social equity and policy with the University of Sydney and Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.
Lisa Kanani
Impact Director
Lisa has been the program lead of the Impact Producer Program for the last 2 years training six Impact Producers to work in the field. Commencing with Documentary Australia in 2016, Lisa has led impact campaigns for award-winning Australian documentary films, including Backtrack Boys, Incarceration Nation, Visible Farmer web-series , and Delikado. Lisa has mentored over 20 environmental films in impact as part of the Documentary Australia Environmental Incubator Program in 2020/21 and is currently advising on impact campaign strategies for films in the Environmental Accelerator Program.
Lisa has over 25 years of experience in PR, marketing, events, digital communications, design and project management working for high-profile agencies and campaigns including Ogilvy, Naked, There Design, Play Events and London-based agencies including Freud Communications.
James Johnston
Evaluation & Partnerships Co-ordinator
Julia Wylie
Impact Co-ordinator
Julia strongly believes the beauty of the world is worth fighting for. She joined the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network in 2020 after witnessing climate change in real time during the Black Summer bushfires. Since then, she has written and researched much of Australia’s first ever Climate Lens, a tool for Australian funders to understand how climate change impacts everyone, but not equally. She has coordinated online and in-person Project Showcase events at the AEGN’s flagship conference, written and published case studies highlighting impactful funding, and helped develop the Nature Funding Framework. She is passionate about First Nations climate justice and believes in the power of people coming together to make change.
Before the AEGN, Julia had a diverse career working in communications for 12 years. She was a Radio Producer for ABC Western Queensland and FBi Radio in Sydney, a Project Officer for the Brain and Mind Centre (where she campaigned for marriage equality as a mental health issue), campaigned for music copyrights at APRA AMCOS, and worked in Greece for Safe Place International, a small not-for-profit supporting LGBTIQ refugees fleeing persecution.
Julia is also an independent musician, channelling her environmental passions into songs that she’s toured across Australia and Canada. Her third studio album will be released in 2024.
Emily Carstairs
Marketing & Communications Director
Emily has a background in marketing and content production with a focus on the not-for-profit, news, travel and entertainment sectors.
Emily believes in the importance of telling the stories that need to be heard, the stories that can help educate, empower and encourage positive change on both an individual level and as a wider community. This is why Emily loves documentaries and enjoys being part of Documentary Australia.
Cealan Macdonnell
Marketing Co-ordinator
Cealan believes in the power of documentaries and is passionate about telling true stories. She studied English and Film, and has come from a film industry background. Cealan is experienced in coordinating marketing and communications assets for companies working in the Australian film sector.
Benson Wu
Diego Garcia Luna
Digital and Communications Manager
Our board
Andrew Myer AM
Chair
Andrew Myer pursues a variety of business interests through the A V Myer Group of Companies, including property development, investment, film and Philanthropy. Andrew developed a range of residential office and retail properties for more than a decade from 2002. In addition to direction of his own investment portfolio he has been a director of The Myer Family Investments Pty Ltd since 2012 and a member of the Audit and Risk committee. He has produced and executive produced numerous feature films, television and documentary since the mid 90’s and his numerous credits include Radiance, Paper Planes, Make Hummus not War, Blueback and The Dry.
His community sector involvement has focused on for purpose organisations operating in philanthropy, the environment, social justice, film and the performing arts. Andrew became Chair of The Sidney Myer Fund in June 2020 and has been a Trustee of The Sidney Myer Fund since 2011. He was previously Vice President of The Myer Foundation from 1999 until 2003.
Andrew was Vice President of Bush Heritage Australia for nine years until March 2016. He was Chair and Deputy-Chair of the Melbourne International Film Festival for seventeen years until 2017. He was appointed Chair of Arts Centre Melbourne Foundation in June 2017 and was a trustee of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust for three years from March 2018 until February 2021. He is Chair elect of Documentary Australia and has been a director since June 2017. He joined the board of Malthouse Theatre in February 2018. He is founder and director of the Andyinc Foundation Ltd a family PAF established in 2002 that focuses on the environment, arts and social justice.
Sue Maslin AO
Deputy Chair
Sue Maslin is one of Australia’s most successful screen producers. Her smash hit The Dressmaker, became one of Australia’s all-time highest grossing films. Sue has produced and executive produced numerous documentaries including The Edge of The Possible, Harry Seidler-Modernist, Jill Bilcock Dancing The Invisible, The Show Must Go On and most recently, Brazen Hussies, and Anonymous Club – Courtney Barnett. Sue is committed to engaging and empowering audiences with ideas that matter. Her innovative rights management company, Film Art Media established in 2008 with Daryl Dellora, develops and distributes screen content across many platforms.
Sue joined the Board of Documentary Australia in August 2018 and currently holds the position of Deputy Chair. Her contribution to the screen industry has been recognised in numerous ways and in 2019 she was appointed as an Officer (AO) of the Order of Australia.
Ben Ferris
Director
Ben Ferris is an internationally-acclaimed film writer and director, and an AACTA-nominated producer. In 2020 he co-founded Breathless Films, which has since produced its first five feature films: Birdeater (SFF 2023), Tennessine (SFF 2023), Love Road (SFF 2023), The Longest Weekend (SFF 2022) and Lonesome (SFF 2022). As a writer and director he has made four features: In(di)visible (Antenna FF 2022, nominated Eurimages Project Lab Award, Karlovy Vary FF), Great Observers (WWFF 2021), 57 Lawson (SUFF 2016) and Penelope (Pula FF 2009). He also Executive Produced the award-winning feature Three Blind Mice (TIFF 2008). In 2004 he won the inaugural Akira Kurosawa Memorial Grand Prix for his short film The Kitchen (2003). He was one of the original founders and then Artistic Director of the Sydney Film School (2004-2018).
Ben joined the Board in February 2019.
Anita Jacoby AM
Director
Anita Jacoby is a highly awarded television producer, media executive and company director.
She has worked in senior roles with all the commercial networks, ABC, SBS and Foxtel. In the independent sector, Anita managed Zapruder’s Other Films, executive producing original productions including Enough Rope and The Gruen Transfer, along with documentaries such as Angels & Demons and God on My Side. She was subsequently Managing Director of ITV Studios.
A leading advocate for women in media and leadership, Anita chairs the ABC Advisory Council, Co-chairs Women in Media, is a non-executive director of Documentary Australia, Chief Executive Women, PIJI and the UK Board of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award Foundation.
Anita is passionate about storytelling and the powerful role documentaries play in educating and fostering social change.
James Logie-Smith
Director
James Logie-Smith is an experienced finance professional with significant experience in finance, strategy and corporate development in the digital, consumer products and media industries. Currently with Coates Group, James has previously held CFO positions for Sara Lee Corporation’s Australia and New Zealand business, Valspar Australia and New Zealand, and Pinnacle Bakeries. James has contributed to several non-profit arts organisations in an advisory capacity in both Sydney and Chicago. James holds an MBA from Kellogg Business School at Northwestern University, has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course and is a member of the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Andrew Wiseman
Director
Andrew Wiseman is a solicitor specialising in intellectual property and technology. He works with high profile international and domestic clients across many sectors, including advertising, communications, entertainment, food and beverage, franchising, IT, pharmaceutical and other wellbeing.
With the benefit of long litigation and commercial experience across the entire IP spectrum Andrew is regularly called upon to find solutions in complex strategic matters, including bringing about legal change through the courts and the legislature.
With a long love of the arts it is no coincidence that they feature prominently. Highlights include 30 years working with Sony Music and Sony Publishing and over 20 years with orchestras, painters and writers amongst many other art forms including from indigenous communities (through Art Centres and directly from community outreach). Pro bono plays a significant part of Andrew’s practice.
Michael Radovnikovic
Director
Michael Radovnikovic is the founding Director of 9Springs, a privately held Australian property investment and advisory group working with ASX listed organisations, private companies, family offices and not-for-profit clients. Michael has held multiple roles with high growth organisations focused on driving strategy and has had experience in international capital markets, including managing the delivery of projects up to A$2b. Michael is a mentor and early-stage investor to a number of Australian start-up companies. Michael comes from a family of professional musicians and is a strong advocate for the arts in Australia. Michael is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Michael joined the Board in May 2019.
Winsome Bernard
Director
Winsome Bernard embarked on an international career in 1985, joining the Business Adia Acquisition team and relocating to Australia from the UK.
In 1994, she established a successful recruitment business, later selling it to a Japanese Multi-national company in 2019.
Transitioning into mentoring and leadership, she now works as a Business Advisor and Leadership Coach and facilitates transformative issue-processing sessions for CEOs and business owners.
Her work extends to philanthropy, where she actively contributes her business skills as a board member for two charities’.
Leadership Council
Georgina Byron
Lisa Cotton
Ian Darling AO
Teya Dusseldorp
Kevin Farmer
Robin Freedman
Michael Hanavan
Narelle Hooper
Karen Loblay AM
Ian McGill
Sam Meers AO
Tracey Steggall
Anna Wade
Darrell Wade
Deanne Weir
Kim Williams AM
Mark Worrall