Film & Sound News

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List of articles

Nov 2018

Who sang Waltzing Matilda?

Investigating the background of the man who first recorded Waltzing Matilda.

By Graham McDonald / 4 Nov 2018
Film
Sound
A man and woman are dressed for a day at the races. He is looking through binoculars. Black and white image.

Retro Melbourne Cup TV Ad

This retro Woman's Day TV ad from 1982 uses race-calling to sell issues during Melbourne Cup week.

By Beth Taylor / 2 Nov 2018
Television
Oct 2018
The sails of the Opera House tower above a camera operator and a man in a hardhat. They are standing in a wooden box which is hoisted to a crane.

Newscaf: Sydney Opera House

Through our Newscaf program, we share footage of some of the famous stars who love the Opera House – including Oprah Winfrey and Jackie Chan.

By Beth Taylor / 22 Oct 2018
Photographs
Television

Anthony Buckley Home Movies

For World Home Movie Day on 20 October we share early colour home movies of Sydney and San Francisco from award-winning filmmaker and NFSA Ambassador, Anthony Buckley.

By Heather Gill / 18 Oct 2018
Film
The Sydney Opera House is festooned with red ribbons. There are many boats on the water in front of it.

Sydney Opera House Opening

Photographs, news and home movie footage capture the excitement of the opening of the Sydney Opera House, 45 years ago on 20 October 1973.

By Beth Taylor / 16 Oct 2018
Film
Photographs
Television
A person has their back to the camera and is standing amidst shelves that are lined with video tapes.

Starstruck: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

We’ve produced a short documentary about the Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits exhibition, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the NFSA. The exhibition is now on its national tour, starting at Adelaide’s Samstag Museum of Art.

Documents
Film
Photographs
Posters
Heath Ledger is looking directly at the camera in a quietly confident pose. He is wearing black and up against a wall.

Heath Ledger on playing Ned Kelly

Jennifer Coombes looks at costume sketches and continuity polaroids of Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Ned Kelly, as featured in the exhibition Heath Ledger: A Life in Pictures at the NFSA.

By Jennifer Coombes / 3 Oct 2018
Documents
Film
Photographs
Sep 2018
A hand-coloured still of Annette Kellerman as a child. She is dressed in a pink ballet tutu with ballet slippers and is striking a pose with her arms and on leg out.

Annette Kellerman's amazing life

Overcoming childhood adversity, Australian silent movie star Annette Kellerman took on the world – swimming, acting, performing and writing herself into the history books.

By Beth Taylor / 27 Sep 2018
Film
Photographs
The Olympic flag against a blue sky

Newscaf: 2000 Sydney Olympics

As part of our Newscaf series, we revisit the moment 25 years ago when Sydney won the right to host the 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

By Adam Blackshaw / 13 Sep 2018
Television
Women in swimsuits lounging on a film set made to look like a beach.

A Portrait of Pearl

Jennifer Coombes explores the life of Pearl Schweig, an actress from the 1930s Cinesound casting books who features in the exhibition Starstruck: Australian Movie Portraits.

By Jennifer Coombes / 10 Sep 2018
Film
Object
Photographs