Heard Island Expedition Documentary Film
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, Cinema Nova, Carlton on Saturday July 20th at 3.20pm
ANARE Club member Mike Dillon’s latest documentary film The Great White Whale has been selected for the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival, screening at Cinema Nova, Carlton on Saturday July 20th at 3.20pm. The film captures the attempts to climb Australia’s highest peak, Big Ben, on Heard Island using footage from the expedition and interviews of those involved, among them some former ANARE expeditioners including 2024 Phillip Law Medal recipient Dr Grahame Budd. At this screening Mike will introduce the film and will hold a Q&A session.
The sound mix has been updated to surround sound cinema for this screening. Evolving versions of the film, dating from last December, have had major successes at International Mountain Film Festivals. The film has won the Grand Prize and Best Directors award in Mendi Spain, and just recently the Gold Gentian for best Expedition Film at Trento, Italy.
The Great White Whale is a 104-minutes feature documentary with 5.1 surround sound.
Produced and Directed by Michael Dillon. Film Editor Michael Balson. Music John Crick and Paul Jarman
Further Reading:
- Film Review: The Great White Whale
- Aurora Journal Autumn 1964: The South Indian Ocean Expedition to Heard Island
- Aurora Journal Autumn 2011: Heard Island – The Climbing of Big Ben (Tim Bowden)
- Australian Geographic: Australia’s first ascent of Big Ben
- Michael Dillon Films: The Great White Whale (2024 Documentary using original footage), YouTube: Preview
- Yachting World: The Sea and The Snow, a stunning tale of adventure