The film 'This is Reality' is, according to the official synposis, to be a "documentary, about a mockumentary, about a reality TV show." Directed by Australia's Chris Phillips, it centres on Osme Gonçalves, who a few years ago invented a fake TV show to recount the reality of Timor.
The mockumentary style -- a conflation of the words 'mock' and 'documentary' -- employs documentary conventions to show realities, using satire or parody.
"Osme is an extremely intelligent person who can look creatively at issues in a way that many do not," Phillips told Lusa on Friday. "He's an interesting man who deserves to have his work highlighted. He has a great heart and a huge dedication to what he does."
Gonsalves, who took part in the armed resistance against Indonesia's 24-year occupation of Timor, has in recent years become a social media star by inventing a TV character who, in short films dominated by humour and the use of ridicule, portrays the reality of East Timor.
An artist, singer, poet and actor, Osme has become a cult figure among the younger generation for his irreverent humor.
He invented the reality show 'TVLK' where he "presents" fables, in the form of TV reports, that have drawn tens of thousands of views on Facebook and YouTube. Appearing as roving 'reporter' Rambo Marabunta, he shows some of the country's problems, while at the same time reflecting his own reality, which is marked by the trauma of his childhood and youth.
"We have about an hour and a half of edited material and it's practically ready," said Phillips of the planned film. "We're now seeing if we can release it online or through some TV channel."
The other award-winning projects in the competition were 'The Coalface', about the coal industry, and 'Give as Green', about a local personality in Darwin, northern Australia, known as the Laksa Queen.
Each project is to receive 100,000 Australian dollars (Euro59,000), paid in equal shares by Screen Australia and Al Jazeera, to make a 25-minute documentary to be broadcast as part of the Qatari TV channel's 'Witness' programme.
The prize was awarded this week at the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) in Melbourne.
"The trailers and proposals presented stood out for the quality of the themes, accuracy, visual impact and diversity of ideas," said Bernardine Lim, head of Screen Australia's documentary section.
Fiona Lawson-Baker, the executive producer of 'Witness', said she hoped to see the teams selected embark on more works in future, highlighting the "diverse range of human experiences, against a backdrop of current global issues" embodied in the award winners.
"They represent the best emerging documentary talent (...) and we can't wait for them to be shown on 'Witness' for Al Jazeera's global audience," she said.
ASP/ARO // ARO.
Lusa
