Whatever you think of “The UnRedacted,” a documentary (formerly called “Jihad Rehab”) that got blacklisted after its Sundance premiere and has now been championed by publications from The New York Times to The Atlantic, you have to agree that its director, Meg Smaker, is a fighter.
And now she wants an Oscar nomination.
The film, a deep examination of five men who were jailed and tortured in Guantanamo after fighting for al-Qaeda and other extremist groups and then sent to Saudi Arabia for rehabilitation, prompted a head-spinning reaction at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Smaker had spent years winning permission from Saudi Arabia to make the film, and more years winning the trust of the men in the film, four Yemenis and a Saudi. The documentary broke new ground in examining the reasons these men were drawn to jihad, and received strong reviews. “This is a movie for intelligent...
And now she wants an Oscar nomination.
The film, a deep examination of five men who were jailed and tortured in Guantanamo after fighting for al-Qaeda and other extremist groups and then sent to Saudi Arabia for rehabilitation, prompted a head-spinning reaction at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
Smaker had spent years winning permission from Saudi Arabia to make the film, and more years winning the trust of the men in the film, four Yemenis and a Saudi. The documentary broke new ground in examining the reasons these men were drawn to jihad, and received strong reviews. “This is a movie for intelligent...
- 11/23/2022
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
President Trump and his Sharpie struck again Thursday, this time at the now-daily task-force press conference inside the White House. But this time, rather than attempting to redefine the projected path of a hurricane, he clearly wanted to redirect a national conversation. A Washington Post photographer discovered that in at least one place where “coronavirus” appeared in his notes, Trump crossed out “corona” and replaced it with “Chinese.”
The previous day, Trump defended his politically and factually incorrect label. Yes, “It’s not racist at all,” he said. “It comes from China,...
The previous day, Trump defended his politically and factually incorrect label. Yes, “It’s not racist at all,” he said. “It comes from China,...
- 3/20/2020
- by Jamil Smith
- Rollingstone.com
This week’s Real Time with Bill Maher will feature military analyst Jack Jacobs as the top-of-show interview guest, with journalist Graeme Wood as the mid-show interview guest. Editor Christina Bellantoni, political commentator Jeffrey Lord and director Rob Reiner also join the show as the roundtable guests. Since last week’s show, several more men have been named and called out in the #MeToo campaign revealing abuses of power. Maher will have also lots more to discuss including the Mueller-ordered indictments on Rick Gates and Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, plus the latest terrorist act in New York City. But...read more...
- 11/3/2017
- by April Neale
- Monsters and Critics
The Guardian has confirmed that it is to launch a digital Australian edition.
It will be headed by the British newspaper’s deputy editor Katharine Viner and commercially backed by entrepreneur Graeme Wood.
Rumours of the launch first emerged in December last year. Wood is also behind not-for-profit website the Global Mail.
According to an article published by the Guardian overnight, the venture will launch “later this year”.
Viner said: “This is such an exciting time to be launching the Guardian in Australia. We already have a large number of Australian readers, who tell us they want more of our on-the-ground reporting, lively commentary and groundbreaking open journalism.”
The Guardian is one of the UK’s oldest quality newspapers. Its unusual ownership structure sees it run by a trust which has allowed it to run at a loss in recent years as it invests in developing its digital offering and in overseas expansion.
It will be headed by the British newspaper’s deputy editor Katharine Viner and commercially backed by entrepreneur Graeme Wood.
Rumours of the launch first emerged in December last year. Wood is also behind not-for-profit website the Global Mail.
According to an article published by the Guardian overnight, the venture will launch “later this year”.
Viner said: “This is such an exciting time to be launching the Guardian in Australia. We already have a large number of Australian readers, who tell us they want more of our on-the-ground reporting, lively commentary and groundbreaking open journalism.”
The Guardian is one of the UK’s oldest quality newspapers. Its unusual ownership structure sees it run by a trust which has allowed it to run at a loss in recent years as it invests in developing its digital offering and in overseas expansion.
- 1/15/2013
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Privately-funded online news site The Global Mail has made its overseas correspondents redundant and axed staff in its Australian office, according to reports.
A story in The Australian claims a source said the company had let four local staff go on Friday.
The overseas correspondents, based in New York, the Middle East and Latin America, were informed three weeks ago their roles would cease to exist according to the Middle East correspondent Jess Hill, who announced her redundancy on Twitter today.
Hill was recovering from brain surgery when she received the news.
The Global Mail was launched with a $15m investment from philanthropist Graeme Wood, guaranteed for the venture for the next five years.
Yesterday it was reported that Wood may have plans to co-fund the Australian version of The Guardian.
At the time it launched, CEO Jane Nicholls said: “We know we are incredibly lucky to be funded purely...
A story in The Australian claims a source said the company had let four local staff go on Friday.
The overseas correspondents, based in New York, the Middle East and Latin America, were informed three weeks ago their roles would cease to exist according to the Middle East correspondent Jess Hill, who announced her redundancy on Twitter today.
Hill was recovering from brain surgery when she received the news.
The Global Mail was launched with a $15m investment from philanthropist Graeme Wood, guaranteed for the venture for the next five years.
Yesterday it was reported that Wood may have plans to co-fund the Australian version of The Guardian.
At the time it launched, CEO Jane Nicholls said: “We know we are incredibly lucky to be funded purely...
- 12/19/2012
- by Cathie McGinn
- Encore Magazine
The deputy editor of The Guardian is to set up the popular left-wing British newspaper in Australia.
Kath Viner has been named in a report by London’s Evening Standard as leading the roll out, which was speculated last month.
The Guardian Australia is to be backed by Graeme Wood, who was behind the launch of non-profit news site The Global Mail – which is set to lay off staff in its Sydney office due to cost overruns, according to Crikey.
The Standard wrote that the Australia launch would prove to be controversial, as The Guardian has had to make a number of staff cuts to reign in $68m in annual losses.
The post The Guardian’s Oz edition to be led by deputy editor Kath Viner appeared first on mUmBRELLA.
Kath Viner has been named in a report by London’s Evening Standard as leading the roll out, which was speculated last month.
The Guardian Australia is to be backed by Graeme Wood, who was behind the launch of non-profit news site The Global Mail – which is set to lay off staff in its Sydney office due to cost overruns, according to Crikey.
The Standard wrote that the Australia launch would prove to be controversial, as The Guardian has had to make a number of staff cuts to reign in $68m in annual losses.
The post The Guardian’s Oz edition to be led by deputy editor Kath Viner appeared first on mUmBRELLA.
- 12/18/2012
- by Robin Hicks
- Encore Magazine
According to today’s Afr, the left-leaning newspaper, which is owned by a not-for-profit trust, “is believed to be eyeing an expansion into Australia with plans to potentially establish a small print edition as well as an online presence.”
The Afr says that the paper is in talks with business man and philanthropist Graeme Wood, who funded the launch of website the Glboal Mail.
The Guardian has shown signs of global ambitions for the brand, including establishing an online Us edition.
The post Guardian ‘may launch Australian print edition’ appeared first on mUmBRELLA.
The Afr says that the paper is in talks with business man and philanthropist Graeme Wood, who funded the launch of website the Glboal Mail.
The Guardian has shown signs of global ambitions for the brand, including establishing an online Us edition.
The post Guardian ‘may launch Australian print edition’ appeared first on mUmBRELLA.
- 11/18/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
The new look Global Mail
The Global Mail, Australia’s most expensive philanthropically funded journalism project seen to date, has today gone through a major relaunch, including the ditching of its controversial sideways rather than vertical scrolling.
The site had a difficult launch with founding editor Monica Attard departing in May, just three months after it began.
Early criticisms of the site included its quixotic sideways navigation and relatively slow speed at producing new content. The site is funded by Graeme Wood who promised funding of $15m.
The former sideways scrolling site
It is now edited by Lauren Martin who was previously managing editor of The Vineyard Gazette in Massachusetts.
The new version of the site also includes a blog. A first posting is from site developer Andrew Cobby who writes: “Soon after launch, it became clear improvements needed to be made to the site. And so began our six-month journey to re-think,...
The Global Mail, Australia’s most expensive philanthropically funded journalism project seen to date, has today gone through a major relaunch, including the ditching of its controversial sideways rather than vertical scrolling.
The site had a difficult launch with founding editor Monica Attard departing in May, just three months after it began.
Early criticisms of the site included its quixotic sideways navigation and relatively slow speed at producing new content. The site is funded by Graeme Wood who promised funding of $15m.
The former sideways scrolling site
It is now edited by Lauren Martin who was previously managing editor of The Vineyard Gazette in Massachusetts.
The new version of the site also includes a blog. A first posting is from site developer Andrew Cobby who writes: “Soon after launch, it became clear improvements needed to be made to the site. And so began our six-month journey to re-think,...
- 10/11/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
In this piece originally posted on The Conversation Sinclair Davidson of Rmit University argues that Fairfax Media desperately needs a patron.
Every business needs paying customers. Who those paying customers are varies from business to business. The single largest paying customer for Australian universities, for example, is the federal government. Similarly the ABC’s only paying customer is the federal government. The point being that the single largest customer might also own the organisation.
Fairfax used to have lots of advertisers as paying customers – but no longer. Bottom line is Fairfax is broke and dying before our very eyes. They need a viable business model quickly. The old model of selling eyeballs to advertisers isn’t going to sustain Fairfax much longer.
Fairfax has announced that their metro papers will move from broadsheet format to tabloid size next year. It isn’t clear to me, however, that the size of the paper is the problem.
Every business needs paying customers. Who those paying customers are varies from business to business. The single largest paying customer for Australian universities, for example, is the federal government. Similarly the ABC’s only paying customer is the federal government. The point being that the single largest customer might also own the organisation.
Fairfax used to have lots of advertisers as paying customers – but no longer. Bottom line is Fairfax is broke and dying before our very eyes. They need a viable business model quickly. The old model of selling eyeballs to advertisers isn’t going to sustain Fairfax much longer.
Fairfax has announced that their metro papers will move from broadsheet format to tabloid size next year. It isn’t clear to me, however, that the size of the paper is the problem.
- 6/18/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Philanthropically funded publishing venture The Global Mail has parted ways with founding editor Monica Attard just three months after launch, the organisation confirmed tonight.
Attard’s departure came after reports of disagreements between her and founder Graeme Woods. CEO Jane Nicholls has been named as interim editor.
Global Mail is an ambitious project funded by Wood to the tune of $15m, the largest project of its type ever seen in Australia. Woods made his fortune through travel site wotif.
The short statement from The Global Mail said:
“The Global Mail announced today that Monica Attard, having served as founding Managing Editor for the conception and launch phase of The Global Mail, will be leaving the publication.
“The Global Mail chairman Graeme Wood thanked Monica for her tremendous assistance and vision in the start-up phase of the organisation’s development.
“CEO of The Global Mail, Jane Nicholls, will step in as interim editor.
Attard’s departure came after reports of disagreements between her and founder Graeme Woods. CEO Jane Nicholls has been named as interim editor.
Global Mail is an ambitious project funded by Wood to the tune of $15m, the largest project of its type ever seen in Australia. Woods made his fortune through travel site wotif.
The short statement from The Global Mail said:
“The Global Mail announced today that Monica Attard, having served as founding Managing Editor for the conception and launch phase of The Global Mail, will be leaving the publication.
“The Global Mail chairman Graeme Wood thanked Monica for her tremendous assistance and vision in the start-up phase of the organisation’s development.
“CEO of The Global Mail, Jane Nicholls, will step in as interim editor.
- 5/8/2012
- by mumbrella
- Encore Magazine
Does the launch of philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail signal a new era for journalism or is the model destined to be a passing fad, asks Cathie McGinn in this article first published in Encore magazine.
With little fanfare, philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail launched in February this year.
The online-only title received a generous five-year funding commitment from businessman Graeme Wood, founder of accommodation website wotif.com, who donated $15million.
At a time when the future of print media is being questioned, the issue of the cost of journalism is ever more pressing. As long established mastheads close their doors around the world – here in Australia, News Limited recently announced the closure of local Queensland titles The Noosa Journal and Weekender – the move to online reporting continues. And there is clearly an audience in this space, as evidenced by The Australian’s recent announcement 30,000 readers...
With little fanfare, philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail launched in February this year.
The online-only title received a generous five-year funding commitment from businessman Graeme Wood, founder of accommodation website wotif.com, who donated $15million.
At a time when the future of print media is being questioned, the issue of the cost of journalism is ever more pressing. As long established mastheads close their doors around the world – here in Australia, News Limited recently announced the closure of local Queensland titles The Noosa Journal and Weekender – the move to online reporting continues. And there is clearly an audience in this space, as evidenced by The Australian’s recent announcement 30,000 readers...
- 5/8/2012
- by Brooke Hemphill
- Encore Magazine
Global Mail founding editor Monica Attard is to step down from the role after disagreements with co-founder and philanthropist Graeme Wood, Crikey is reporting.
A statement is expected to be released tomorrow.
According to Crikey, the move came after “festering tensions came to a head last week in an office showdown.”
The Global Mail launched as an online only title in February of this year, with a five year funding commitment from Wood, who has donated $15m to the project.
When Mumbrella interviewed Attard in January she described her role at the title as “the journo’s equivalent of winning the lottery”.
When Encore magazine featured the Global Mail, the editorial team was comprised of 13 journalists, a director of photography, two web producers and a media manager. That team looks to have undergone a shift with more weight at the top, with Attard being listed alongside Mike Bowers, Ben Fogarty,...
A statement is expected to be released tomorrow.
According to Crikey, the move came after “festering tensions came to a head last week in an office showdown.”
The Global Mail launched as an online only title in February of this year, with a five year funding commitment from Wood, who has donated $15m to the project.
When Mumbrella interviewed Attard in January she described her role at the title as “the journo’s equivalent of winning the lottery”.
When Encore magazine featured the Global Mail, the editorial team was comprised of 13 journalists, a director of photography, two web producers and a media manager. That team looks to have undergone a shift with more weight at the top, with Attard being listed alongside Mike Bowers, Ben Fogarty,...
- 5/8/2012
- by Cathie McGinn
- Encore Magazine
First the features, which were unveiled last week; and now the shorts.
I haven’t looked through the list yet, but I will eventually. Feel free to flag any for me if you’re aware.
For now, here’s the full press release I received:
2010 Sundance Film Festival Announces Short Film Program
from Sundance Film Festival | Press Releases
Park City, Ut- Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. This year the Festival’s Short Film Program comprises 70 short films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from 6,092 submissions up 8% over 2009. The 2010 Sundance Film Festival runs January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.
As previously announced, the Festival will break tradition by foregoing the conventions of one opening night film and instead focus on...
I haven’t looked through the list yet, but I will eventually. Feel free to flag any for me if you’re aware.
For now, here’s the full press release I received:
2010 Sundance Film Festival Announces Short Film Program
from Sundance Film Festival | Press Releases
Park City, Ut- Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. This year the Festival’s Short Film Program comprises 70 short films from U.S. and international filmmakers selected from 6,092 submissions up 8% over 2009. The 2010 Sundance Film Festival runs January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.
As previously announced, the Festival will break tradition by foregoing the conventions of one opening night film and instead focus on...
- 12/7/2009
- by Tambay
- ShadowAndAct
Opened
Thursday, July 24
Australia
SYDNEY -- Mick Molloy is Australia's most unlikely leading man. He started his career as a TV comic before finding major fame as a radio presenter and then met his Waterloo with his own disastrously short-lived (but always daring and innovative) television show.
Molloy bounced back from his show's dumping by writing and starring in "Crackerjack", a warm, genuinely charming comedy that became one of the biggest films here last year. For his follow-up, however, Molloy is a hired gun. The famously disheveled comic leaves the writing and directing duties to Tony Martin, his longtime collaborator and radio partner. The result is another rich, perceptive comedy, though with a much keener and darker edge.
Ben Kinnear (Molloy) and Mike Paddock (comedian Bob Franklin) are the proverbial cops on the edge. Part of Melbourne's Zero Tolerance Unit, they're as quick with a droll one-liner as they are with their guns. It's their hotheaded bravado that undoes them. After shooting up a shopping mall, the pair are bumped back to uniform duties. Nevertheless, they keep digging on their old cases, one of which leads them into the shady affairs of a corrupt casino boss.
Dogged by a tenacious journalist (Judith Lucy, Molloy's comic co-star and romantic foil in "Crackerjack"), Kinnear and Paddock soon realize that the corruption doesn't stop at the casino boss but snakes its way through their own police department all the way up to the State Premier (TV host and comedian Shaun Micallef).
By borrowing so many of its players from "Crackerjack" and featuring many familiar faces from TV sketch comedy and the stand-up circuit, "Bad Eggs" runs the danger of feeling a bit undercooked and overly familiar. But the sharpness and originality of Martin's script combined with the film's edgy tone cuts that possibility away right from the outset.
The look of the film (wonderfully shot by Graeme Wood) trades in dark shadows and muted blues, playing like some tricked-out, comic version of a '70s paranoid thriller. It lends "Bad Eggs" a truly cinematic quality that sets it apart from other low-key Australian comedies. The look here is just as vital as the laughs, and it gives the film a welcome gravitas. Which is not to say that the laughs aren't there. "Bad Eggs" bristles with one-liners and perfectly timed comic situations, only missing the mark when the humor is played a little too broadly.
Martin knows the cop genre inside out and plays eloquently within its conventions, having the smarts to make sure that the story works well enough as a thriller-mystery to keep the audience hooked throughout, while peppering them with jokes at the same time. The performances are all droll and consistently well-timed, but Molloy really rules the roost here, delivering another solid comic turn and helping the funny, charmingly abrasive "Bad Eggs" hit so many of its high notes.
BAD EGGS
Macquarie Film Corp. and Roadshow Films in association with the Movie Network present A Million Monkeys film
Credits:
Director: Tony Martin
Screenwriter: Tony Martin
Producers: Tony Martin, Stephen Luby, Greg Sitch
Executive producers: Jennie Hughes, Joel Pearlman
Director of photography: Graeme Wood
Production designers: Carrie Kennedy, Ben Morieson
Costume designer: Kittie Stuckey
Music: Dave Graney, Clare Moore
Editor: Peter Carrodus
Cast:
Ben Kinnear: Mick Molloy
Mike Paddock: Bob Franklin
Julie Bale: Judith Lucy
Northey: Alan Brough
Ted Pratt: Bill Hunter
Doug Gillespie: Marshall Napier
Premier Lionel Cray: Shaun Micallef
Pendlebury: Steven Vidler
Running time -- 98 minutes
No MPAA rating...
Thursday, July 24
Australia
SYDNEY -- Mick Molloy is Australia's most unlikely leading man. He started his career as a TV comic before finding major fame as a radio presenter and then met his Waterloo with his own disastrously short-lived (but always daring and innovative) television show.
Molloy bounced back from his show's dumping by writing and starring in "Crackerjack", a warm, genuinely charming comedy that became one of the biggest films here last year. For his follow-up, however, Molloy is a hired gun. The famously disheveled comic leaves the writing and directing duties to Tony Martin, his longtime collaborator and radio partner. The result is another rich, perceptive comedy, though with a much keener and darker edge.
Ben Kinnear (Molloy) and Mike Paddock (comedian Bob Franklin) are the proverbial cops on the edge. Part of Melbourne's Zero Tolerance Unit, they're as quick with a droll one-liner as they are with their guns. It's their hotheaded bravado that undoes them. After shooting up a shopping mall, the pair are bumped back to uniform duties. Nevertheless, they keep digging on their old cases, one of which leads them into the shady affairs of a corrupt casino boss.
Dogged by a tenacious journalist (Judith Lucy, Molloy's comic co-star and romantic foil in "Crackerjack"), Kinnear and Paddock soon realize that the corruption doesn't stop at the casino boss but snakes its way through their own police department all the way up to the State Premier (TV host and comedian Shaun Micallef).
By borrowing so many of its players from "Crackerjack" and featuring many familiar faces from TV sketch comedy and the stand-up circuit, "Bad Eggs" runs the danger of feeling a bit undercooked and overly familiar. But the sharpness and originality of Martin's script combined with the film's edgy tone cuts that possibility away right from the outset.
The look of the film (wonderfully shot by Graeme Wood) trades in dark shadows and muted blues, playing like some tricked-out, comic version of a '70s paranoid thriller. It lends "Bad Eggs" a truly cinematic quality that sets it apart from other low-key Australian comedies. The look here is just as vital as the laughs, and it gives the film a welcome gravitas. Which is not to say that the laughs aren't there. "Bad Eggs" bristles with one-liners and perfectly timed comic situations, only missing the mark when the humor is played a little too broadly.
Martin knows the cop genre inside out and plays eloquently within its conventions, having the smarts to make sure that the story works well enough as a thriller-mystery to keep the audience hooked throughout, while peppering them with jokes at the same time. The performances are all droll and consistently well-timed, but Molloy really rules the roost here, delivering another solid comic turn and helping the funny, charmingly abrasive "Bad Eggs" hit so many of its high notes.
BAD EGGS
Macquarie Film Corp. and Roadshow Films in association with the Movie Network present A Million Monkeys film
Credits:
Director: Tony Martin
Screenwriter: Tony Martin
Producers: Tony Martin, Stephen Luby, Greg Sitch
Executive producers: Jennie Hughes, Joel Pearlman
Director of photography: Graeme Wood
Production designers: Carrie Kennedy, Ben Morieson
Costume designer: Kittie Stuckey
Music: Dave Graney, Clare Moore
Editor: Peter Carrodus
Cast:
Ben Kinnear: Mick Molloy
Mike Paddock: Bob Franklin
Julie Bale: Judith Lucy
Northey: Alan Brough
Ted Pratt: Bill Hunter
Doug Gillespie: Marshall Napier
Premier Lionel Cray: Shaun Micallef
Pendlebury: Steven Vidler
Running time -- 98 minutes
No MPAA rating...
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