03 02 2015 - Industry news

In discussion with TIFF documentary programmer Thom Powers

Screen Australia is pleased to present, in collaboration with AFTRS, special international guest Thom Powers, documentary programmer for the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Thom will discuss the importance of international film festivals in helping documentaries achieve commercial and critical success.

Thom will be in conversation with prolific, independent Australian producer Susan MacKinnon.

Thom is travelling to Australia as a guest of AIDC to speak at the Net-Work-Play event in February and will do one sideline talk at AFTRS. This will be the only opportunity to hear Thom speak firsthand about his experience working at international festivals and a exceptional chance for documentary filmmakers to get an inside perspective on the world of international film festivals and their relationship to factual content.

In addition to programming documentary for TIFF, Thom also oversees the Mavericks in conversation series. He serves as the Artistic Director of Stranger Than Fiction and the DOC NYC festival. Thom consults for the Miami International Film Festival, curates the monthly Doc Club for SundanceNOW and teaches at SVA. He is a co-founder of the Cinema Eye Honors and the Garrett Scott Documentary Development Grant. Thom has also had a long and successful career as a director of documentaries for HBO and PBS.

Friday 27 February 2015
10.30–11.30am conversation with Thom Powers hosted by Susan MacKinnon
11.30am – 12.30pm question time and an informal meet and greet (if time permits)
AFTRS, Building 130, Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, Sydney

To register for this event please email powers.talk@screenaustralia.gov.au by Wednesday 25 February.