The Great White Whale. Photo: Michael Dillon.
PG | 104 Mins | 2023 | DCP | AUS | D: Michael Dillon
‘Big Ben’ on Heard Island looms over 500 meters taller than Mount Kosciusko. A glacier-ringed Antarctic volcano that stands in Australian territory, this gargantuan peak has seen multiple attempts to reach its summit – including the legendary 1963 expedition led by Bill Tilman.
From the stunning 16mm expedition footage and musical score to the quirky humour of the crew and the utter boldness of their quest, this award-winning documentary is one of the least known yet most audacious real-life adventure tales of the 20th century.
In 2020, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia assisted by scanning over 11,000 feet of unedited film, providing the filmmakers with digital 2k files so that this footage could be used for The Great White Whale.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker and adventurer Michael Dillon.
MICHAEL DILLON
Michael’s 50 years of award-winning adventure filmmaking have included projects with Sir Edmund Hillary, Tim Macartney-Snape, Tim Cope and many others. In 2022, he was awarded the Grand Prize for lifetime achievement by the International Federation of Mountain Film, the first time anyone from the Southern hemisphere has been so honoured.
The details
What: The Great White Whale screening + Q&A with director Michael Dillon
When: 6 pm, Monday 14 October 2024
Where: Arc Cinema, NFSA Acton
Cost: $17–20 via the NFSA website
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