BookEnd’s new patron

Dr Niall Doran Australian documentary exclusive for Tasmania. New BookEnd patron
THE Tasmanian-based BookEnd Trust is pleased to announce that international award winning documentary maker Cathy Henkel has joined the program as a new patron. As a part of her new role, Cathy is also bringing Tasmania an exclusive opportunity linked to her latest film.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Cathy on board. Her skills and experience add an exciting new dimension for our students and the program as a whole,” said Dr Niall Doran, BookEnd co-ordinator.

Cathy’s latest documentary, “The Burning Season” is about solving the problems of habitat loss, pollution and climate change in the forests of Indonesia through the innovative work of a young Australian entrepreneur. Whereas many documentaries focus on the problems, Cathy’s work focuses on the way forward.

“The Burning Season” is already gaining significant acclaim nationally and overseas. Narrated by Hugh Jackman, it has won both Best Documentary at the Inside Film (IF) Awards and the Audience Choice Awards at the Brisbane International Film Festival. Cathy was invited to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Global Climate Summit, and Schwarzenegger is also now part of the final film.

“The Burning Season” has now been invited to compete in the prestigious World Documentary Feature Competition at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert de Niro in New York. It will be the only Australian documentary to screen in the competition this year, but Cathy previously won this coveted award in 2004 for her personal story “The Man Who Stole My Mother’s Face”.

Now based in Queensland, Cathy first became aware of the BookEnd program following its launch last year, and came to visit the project team in Hobart in January. “Their enthusiasm and approach is wonderful. ‘The Burning Season’ is all about finding positive environmental solutions and inspiring the next generation. BookEnd has the same ‘can do’ attitude and for me it’s a natural fit. We need to move beyond the doom and gloom to show that innovative solutions exist, and that people can build a career finding them,” she said.

In addition to her new role with the BookEnd program and its students, Cathy will also be bringing exclusive opportunities to Tasmanian filmmakers and audiences. Although an early 50 minute test version of “The Burning Season” had limited release last year, a full and updated 90 minute cinema version is due for release in May.

The final sound mixing for the documentary is being undertaken in Tasmania, and BookEnd is partnering Screen Tasmania to present a special working preview for Tasmanian film-makers in April. This will provide local professionals with the opportunity to talk with one of Australia’s leading documentary makers about the breadth of her experience and work in this field. Cathy will then fly to premieres at the Tribeca Film Festival and in China, before returning to Tasmania for a gala public launch of the film in May – the first public showing of the full documentary anywhere in Australia.

Background:
The BookEnd program was launched in partnership with the University of Tasmania in September last year, and aims to promote positive environmental solutions and careers to students throughout the State. As part of the program, University scholarship holders act as direct and virtual mentors to school students. The program has generated significant interest and is supported by high profile names including Bryce Courtenay, Saul Eslake, Andy Muirhead and Liz Dombrovskis. The program is run through the donation of time and resources from professionals and individuals interested in improving educational and environmental opportunities. The program recently won a Pride of Australia Medal for the voluntary work that went into creating it.