Nel Minchin
{{Short description|Australian documentary film director}}
Nel Minchin (born 1984 or 1985) is an Australian documentary film director.
Early life and education
Nel Minchin is the daughter of Ros and David Ellison Minchin.{{Cite web|date=12 November 2011|title=Tim Minchin: My life as a dad|url=http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/nov/12/tim-minchin-matilda-family-man|access-date=4 April 2021|website=The Guardian|language=en}} Her father and grandfather were both surgeons in Perth.The Book of Minchin Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Trafford 2006 pp500-503 She was raised in suburban Perth, the youngest of four siblings, Dan, Tim and Katie.{{Cite web|date=19 March 2016|title=Behind the scenes with big brother Tim Minchin|url=https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/art/behind-the-scenes-with-big-brother-tim-minchin-ng-ya-101615|access-date=4 April 2021|website=The West Australian|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/archive/au/entry/matilda-and-me-tim-minchins-younger-sister-on-the-man-behind_n_9537056|title='Matilda And Me': Tim Minchin's Younger Sister On The Man Behind The Hit Musical|first=Julia|last=Naughton|date=28 March 2016|access-date=20 January 2023|work=Huffington Post}} She is a descendent of R. E. Minchin. She graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a degree in broadcasting and then moved to London.
Career
Minchin worked in television for 10 years, including as a researcher for Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery series, before working for production company In Films. In 2014, she was involved in producing ABC documentary Gaycrashers about gay comedians Joel Creasey and Rhys Nicholson living in Colac for a week.{{cite web|url=https://thewest.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-gossip/gay-perth-comic-gets-the-last-laugh-ng-ya-380588|title=Gay Perth comic gets the last laugh|work=The West Australian|date=10 November 2014|access-date=20 January 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/joel-creasey-goes-back-to-colac-to-sound-out-the-locals-20141104-11gb0y.html|title=Joel Creasey goes back to Colac to sound out the locals|first=David|last=Dale|date=9 November 2014|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=20 January 2023}}
In 2016, Minchin wrote, narrated, and co-directed (with Rhian Skirving) Matilda and Me about her brother Tim Minchin's career and Matilda the Musical being staged in Australia.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/apr/01/tim-minchin-on-his-musical-groundhog-day-and-george-pells-moral-obligation|title=Tim Minchin on his Groundhog Day musical and George Pell's 'moral obligation'|first=Amanda|last=Meade|date=1 April 2016|access-date=20 January 2023|work=The Guardian}}{{cite web|url=https://www.otakustudy.com/theatre/2016/05/matilda-documentary-review/|work=The Otaku's Study|title=Matilda and Me: Documentary Review|date=9 May 2016|access-date=20 January 2023}} She said, "I think it was important not to be too objective in some ways, particularly about him ... You have to be objective about the telling of the story.” The film was nominated for Best Documentary Television Program at the 2016 AACTA Awards.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/movies/teresa-palmer-celebrates-as-hacksaw-ridge-leads-australian-academy-nominations-20161025-gsadpn.html|title=Teresa Palmer celebrates as Hacksaw Ridge lead AACTA 2016 nominations|first=Garry|last=Maddox|date=27 October 2016|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=20 January 2023}}
In 2017, Minchin directed Making Muriel about the making of the film Muriel's Wedding.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/musicals/muriel-and-me-pj-hogans-journey-with-australias-daggiest-bride-20180907-h152vy.html|title=Where's Muriel? PJ Hogan on the agony of casting Australia's daggiest bride, again|first=Karl|last=Quinn|date=10 September 2018|access-date=20 January 2023|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2017/nov/18/muriels-wedding-the-musical-how-channelling-mark-latham-brought-muriel-up-to-date|title=Muriel's Wedding the musical: how channelling Mark Latham brought Muriel up to date|first=Caitlin|last=Welsh|date=18 November 2017|access-date=20 January 2023|work=The Guardian}} In April 2020, she was asked to look at 20 hours of candid footage of cricketer Steve Waugh in India to "see if there was a film in it". Minchin and editor Peter Crombie interviewed other Australian and Indian cricketers remotely during COVID-19 lockdowns. The one hour film Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh in India aired on the ABC in November that year.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/redirects/backstory/2020-11-15/making-capturing-cricket-steve-waugh-india-documentary-covid-19/12880892|title=ABC documentary, Capturing Cricket, charts Steve Waugh rediscovering the simple joys of the game in India|first=Nel|last=Minchin|publisher=ABC|date=15 November 2020|access-date=20 January 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/sports-news-modern-day-hero-virat-kohli-represents-new-attitude-of-india-steve-waugh/375813|date=1 March 2021|access-date=20 January 2023|title='Modern-Day Hero' Virat Kohli Represents 'New Attitude Of India': Steve Waugh|publisher=Outlook India}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/capturing-cricket-steve-waugh-in-india-review-the-documentary-is-a-captivating-portrait-of-a-nations-passion-for-cricket-3-stars-out-of-5-2379747|title=Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh In India Review - The Documentary Is A Captivating Portrait Of A Nation's Passion For Cricket|date=27 February 2021|access-date=20 January 2023|first=Saibal|last=Chatterjee|publisher=NDTV}}
In 2019, Minchin and Wayne Blair co-directed Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra about the origins of the Bangarra Dance Company and its director Stephen Page and his brothers. It was released theatrically through Icon Films and then aired on the ABC. It received very positive reviews,{{cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/firestarter-review-bangarras-story-is-a-film-of-national-and-personal-tragedies-with-light-in-the-dark-155114|title=Firestarter review — Bangarra's story is a film of national and personal tragedies, with light in the dark|first=Brooke|last=Collins-Gearing|date=18 February 2021|access-date=20 January 2023|work=The Conversation}}{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/bangarra-three-brothers-tell-the-world-about-aboriginal-australia-20210628-p584ul.html|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|title='Compelling, joyful, heartbreaking': the story of the three brothers behind Bangarra|first=Debi|last=Enker|date=30 June 2021|access-date=20 January 2023}} with The Guardian
In 2021, Minchin wrote and directed the SBS special The Truth About Anxiety with Celia Pacquola, with comedian Pacquola interviewing other well-known people who experience anxiety disorders, as well as medical experts.{{cite web|url=https://if.com.au/the-truth-about-anxiety-with-celia-pacquola-trailer/|title='The Truth About Anxiety with Celia Pacquola' (Trailer)|date=17 September 2021|access-date=20 January 2023|website=if.com.au}}
Minchin directed a two-part series called Folau about the cultural impact and tension of rugby player Israel Folau's Christian faith in sport in relation with the LGBTQ+ community.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/why-director-nel-minchin-took-on-israel-folau-and-cancel-culture-20221115-p5bydn.html|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|title=ABC documentary takes a 'meticulous look' at Israel Folau's rise and fall|first=Bridget|last=McManus|date=15 November 2022|access-date=20 January 2023}} She said "It was about understanding where people come from, I don’t think it suggests we should sympathise [with Folau] as much as understand." The film was set to air on the ABC in November 2022, but was pulled by the broadcaster a few days beforehand.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/abc-to-delay-israel-folau-documentary-20221117-p5bz3s.html|title=ABC to delay Israel Folau documentary|first=Thomas|last=Mitchell|date=17 December 2022|access-date=20 January 2023|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}{{cite web|url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2022/11/bumped-folau.html|title=Bumped: Folau|first=David|last=Knox|date=17 November 2022|access-date=20 January 2023|publisher=TV Tonight}} It was finally shown on the ABC in May 2023.{{cite news |last1=McManus |first1=Bridget |title=ABC to finally air shelved Israel Folau documentary |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/abc-to-finally-air-shelved-israel-folau-documentary-20230502-p5d4wd.html |access-date=7 September 2023 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |agency=Nine Newspapers |date=3 May 2023 |language=en}}
Personal life
References
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Category:People from Perth, Western Australia
Category:Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts alumni
Category:Australian documentary film directors
Category:Australian women film directors
Category:Walkley Award winners