SBS’s ‘Australia Uncovered’ documentary collection explores untold Aussie stories

SBS

Australia Uncovered premieres with ‘Hitler’s Jewish Soldier?’

SBS’s collection of documentaries, Australia Uncovered, returns to SBS and SBS On Demand on Thursday 8 February from 8:40 pm.

A curated strand of four stand-alone documentaries will explore untold Australian stories and reveal new insights into some of the biggest issues facing Australians today. 

Episode 1 – Hitler’s Jewish Soldier? – Thursday 8 February on SBS and SBS On Demand from 8:40 pm

Hitler’s Jewish Solider? investigates if Hitler’s youngest soldier, nicknamed “The Mascot’s” survival story – as well as the discovery of his long-lost Jewish family in the late 1990s – is in fact true. Jewish journalist and director Dan Goldberg investigates across the globe in a bid to solve the mystery.

Dan Goldberg, creative director, Mint Pictures, said: “This story crossed my desk in 2012 when I was a correspondent filing for Jewish newspapers in America, Canada, Europe, and Israel. Initially it struck me as a possible Holocaust hoax, and so I travelled from Sydney to Melbourne to interview this legendary ‘Mascot,’ then in his late 70s, in person. I filed several stories about this alleged hoax, which were syndicated around the world. Like most news, the story petered out and I went back to making documentaries.

“Until mid-2020 when, out of the blue, I received a call from The Mascot. What he told me triggered a moral obligation to file a new story. It quickly became evident that this truth-is- stranger-than-fiction story would make a ripping feature documentary. The end result is a staggering story that provokes bigger questions about secrets and lies, fact and fiction, family, and identity.”

Hitler’s Jewish Soldier? is a Mint Pictures production for SBS. Principal production funding from Screen Australia and SBS. Financed with support from Screen NSW.

Episode 2 – Last Chance to Save a Life – Thursday 15 February on SBS and SBS On Demand from 8:40 pm.

Last Chance to Save a Life follows patients, doctors, and scientists in real-time as they experience the potential and challenges of ‘phage therapy:’ an elusive therapy that could hold the key to humanity’s survival. 

Last Chance to Save a Life is a Genepool Productions film for SBS. Principal production funding from Screen Australia and SBS. Financed with support from VicScreen.

Episode 3 – The Carnival – Thursday 22 February on SBS and SBS On Demand from 8:40 pm.

The Carnival follows the six-generation travelling show family The Bells as they journey across the country with their convoy of trucks and workers, battling not only to keep Australia’s oldest show on the road – but also to keep their family’s legacy alive.

The Carnival is a Sideshow Films production for SBS. Principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with Shark Island Foundation. Financed with support from Screen NSW, Torchlight Media and JOTZ productions.

Episode 4 – Psychedelics: Stepping into the Unknown – Thursday 29 February on SBS and SBS On Demand from 8:40 pm.

The fourth documentary investigates the question of could psychedelic-assisted therapy hold the answer to the global mental illness epidemic? 

Psychedelics: Stepping into the Unknown is a Blackfella Films production. Principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with SBS. Financed with support from VicScreen.

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