Nel Minchin

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.^[1] Her father and grandfather were both surgeons in Perth.^[2] She was raised in suburban Perth, the youngest of four siblings, Dan, Tim and Katie.^[3][4] She graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts with a degree in broadcasting and then moved to London.^[3]

Career

Minchin worked in television for 10 years, including as a researcher for Julia Zemiro’s Home Delivery series,^[3] before working for production company In Films.^[3] In 2014, she was involved in producing ABC documentary Gaycrashers about gay comedians Joel Creasey and Rhys Nicholson living in Colac for a week.^[5][6]

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.^[4][7][8] 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.”^[7] The film was nominated for Best Documentary Television Program at the 2016 AACTA Awards.^[9]

In 2017, Minchin directed Making Muriel about the making of the film Muriel's Wedding.^[10][11] 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.^[12][13][14]

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.^[15] It received very positive reviews,^[16][17] with The Guardian's Luke Buckmaster called it "an exquisite new documentary directed with a fittingly rhythmic sense of motion and movement" by Blair and Minchin.^[18] Firestarter won the Adelaide Film Festival's documentary competition and inaugural "Change Award", which recognises "a film that celebrates social and environmental impact, while expressing a desire to live in new ways."^[19] It won the 2020 AACTA Award for Best Documentary, the 2021 Rose d'Or international award for best arts program,^[15] and the 2021 Walkley Documentary Award.^[20] Minchin and Blair won the 2021 Australian Directors' Guild Awards Best Direction in a Feature Documentary.^[21][22]

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.^[23]

Minchin directed a two-part series called Folau about the rise and fall of controversial rugby player Israel Folau.^[24] 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."^[25] The film was set to air on the ABC in November 2022, but was pulled by the broadcaster a few days beforehand and has not yet been rescheduled.^[25][26]

Personal life

Minchin is married to Guy Patrick, an advertising art director.^[3] They have two daughters and live in Sydney.^[3][27]

References

1. "Tim Minchin: My life as a dad". The Guardian. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
2. The Book of Minchin Dorothy Minchin-Comm, Trafford 2006 pp500-503
3. "Behind the scenes with big brother Tim Minchin". The West Australian. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
4. Naughton, Julia (28 March 2016). "'Matilda And Me': Tim Minchin's Younger Sister On The Man Behind The Hit Musical". Huffington Post. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
5. "Gay Perth comic gets the last laugh". The West Australian. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
6. Dale, David (9 November 2014). "Joel Creasey goes back to Colac to sound out the locals". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
7. Meade, Amanda (1 April 2016). "Tim Minchin on his Groundhog Day musical and George Pell's 'moral obligation'". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
8. "Matilda and Me: Documentary Review". The Otaku's Study. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
9. Maddox, Garry (27 October 2016). "Teresa Palmer celebrates as Hacksaw Ridge lead AACTA 2016 nominations". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
10. Quinn (10 September 2018). "Where's Muriel? PJ Hogan on the agony of casting Australia's daggiest bride, againfirst=Karl". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
11. Welsh, Caitlin (18 November 2017). "Muriel's Wedding the musical: how channelling Mark Latham brought Muriel up to date". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
12. Minchin, Nel (15 November 2020). "ABC documentary, Capturing Cricket, charts Steve Waugh rediscovering the simple joys of the game in India". ABC. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
13. "'Modern-Day Hero' Virat Kohli Represents 'New Attitude Of India': Steve Waugh". Outlook India. 1 March 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
14. Chatterjee, Saibal (27 February 2021). "Capturing Cricket: Steve Waugh In India Review - The Documentary Is A Captivating Portrait Of A Nation's Passion For Cricket". NDTV. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
15. Slatter, Sean (20 November 2021). "Wayne Blair and Nel Minchin's 'Firestarter' wins Rose d'Or Award". if.com.au. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
16. Collins-Gearing, Brooke (18 February 2021). "Firestarter review — Bangarra's story is a film of national and personal tragedies, with light in the dark". The Conversation. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
17. Enker, Debi (30 June 2021). "'Compelling, joyful, heartbreaking': the story of the three brothers behind Bangarra". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
18. Buckmaster, Luke (17 February 2021). "Firestarter: The Story of Bangarra review – an engrossing celebration of artistic creation". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
19. "Wayne Blair and Nel Minchin's 'Firestarter' continues winning streak". if.com.au. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
20. "Samantha Maiden wins the Gold Walkley Award". The Walkley Foundation. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
21. Slatter, Sean (5 November 2021). "Double nominations for Wayne Blair, Shannon Murphy at ADG Awards". if.com.au. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
22. Knox, David (4 December 2021). "Australian Directors Guild Awards 2021: winners". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
23. "'The Truth About Anxiety with Celia Pacquola' (Trailer)". if.com.au. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
24. McManus, Bridget (15 November 2022). "ABC documentary takes a 'meticulous look' at Israel Folau's rise and fall". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
25. Mitchell, Thomas (17 December 2022). "ABC to delay Israel Folau documentary". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
26. Knox, David (17 November 2022). "Bumped: Folau". TV Tonight. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
27. "Nel Minchin (AUS)". AIDC.