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2024

Aquarius

Aquarius is a captivating documentary by Wendy Champagne, delving into the 1973 Nimbin Aquarius Festival. Through rare archival footage and compelling interviews, it showcases how this extraordinary event transformed a community and sparked enduring activism in Australia. A must-see for history and counterculture enthusiasts.

Director

Wendy Champagne

Runtime

82 Minutes

Country

Australia

Classification

M

A revelatory chronicle of the 1973 Aquarius Festival in Nimbin, which changed Australia forever.

Aquarius is an enthralling documentary directed by Wendy Champagne, chronicling the transformative Nimbin Aquarius Festival of 1973. This festival left an indelible mark on participants and established Nimbin as a global countercultural hub.

Around 10,000 individuals, including students, artists, and activists, converged on Nimbin for a 10-day festival. They lived, created, and explored new social paradigms together, despite resistance from locals and interference from law enforcement. The festival ignited enduring activism that continues to influence First Nations rights, women's issues, and environmental movements in Australia.

Champagne’s documentary is crafted from 95% archival footage, much newly unearthed. She collaborated with groups including Bush Video Archive, Aquarius Filmmakers Collective, Anthony Lupi Archive, and the University of NSW Architecture Students Project, to assemble a compelling narrative. Interviews with festival participants and organisers provide vivid, first-hand accounts.

Aquarius is a poignant celebration of collective action. It’s a must-see for anyone interested in transformative grassroots movements and the vibrant history of counterculture.

“A well-made documentary and a satisfying look at a special time in Australian history. It’s well worth your time.”

Whats The Show

logologo
Sydney, Melbourne, CinefestOZ
Trailer

Play Trailer

Film Credits

Director

Wendy Champagne

Year

2024

Country

Australia

Language

English

Type

Documentary & Feature

Program Strand

Feature Documentary Competition & World Documentary

Producer

Sam Griffin

Writer

Wendy Champagne & Karin Steininger ASE

Cinematographer

Justine Kerrigan ASE

Editor

Karin Steininger ASE

Music

Damien Lane

Film Source

Madman Entertainment

Genre

ActivismDocumentary & History

Purchase Tickets

Friday 25 Oct 2024

05:00 pm

Aquarius

Guest in attendance

Palace Nova Eastend:

Palace Nova Eastend Eximax

Saturday 2 Nov 2024

12:45 pm

Aquarius

The Mercury

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