“Unlikely Travellers” voted best documentary at IF awards

 
Congratulations to Michael Noonan and John Hart and for their film “Unlikely Travellers” winning the Inside Film (IF)  award for best Australian  documentary.
“Unlikely Travellers” will be screened on the ABC over the next three weeks beiginning Monday November 19 at 8pm.  more details here. 
Here is my review of the launch of Unlikely Travellers in August [...]

QUT controversy resolved but patronising attitudes to disability continue.

The long running QUT dispute over the sacking of two academics seems to be over with an out of court settlement. Courier Mail article  “QUT academic brawl ended by settlement”
It seems to me however that there are 3 issues that marked this affair which remain unresolved. These are…
 1/ attitudes towards disability,
 2/ attitudes towards free [...]

Michael Noonan controversies continued…..

As many may be aware there have been new complaints about Michael Noonan’s film work.
I have been reluctant to publish them until now but since Noonan has now publically responded to the allegations  I am re-opening the discussion.
Background to the controversy here
Aboriginal Elder Ted Watson, acting on Behalf of May Dunne, the Aboriginal woman in Noonan’s Boulia [...]

Laughing at Aborigines now – An Aboriginal woman’s perspective

UPDATE – This post has suddenly become very popular.  New visitors to Paradigm Oz should be aware that this was posted before the new allegations against Noonan were put on youtube (post on that issue here ).  It was not written as a response to the youtube allegations. The complaint refered to was a complaint to [...]

Laughing at the “disabled”, Michael Noonan exposes his naughty bits!

CAUTION!                                                                                                                          Some academics may be offended  by the film footage in this link.     Michael Noonan’s Naughty Bits
The controversial Bris Vegas film maker, Michael Noonan, has been accused of producing “misanthropic and amoral trash” and exploiting people with intellectual disabilities who are not competent to make decisions for themselves in his PhD thesis “Laughing at/with the [...]

Disability and film

“The big dilemma for disabled actors is that they are a tiny minority, unable to get agents, regular work, or even their foot in the door.” 
“Liberal guilt is suffocating. Is it ever okay to laugh at the disabled?”
“………but the fact remains that the disability humor in “South Park” is outrageously funny. I’m disabled and [...]

“Unlikely Travellers” by Michael Noonan – movie review

 
The controversial movie “Unlikely Travellers” by Brisbane film maker Michael Noonan had its world premier on Sunday (Aug 12) as part of the Brisbane International Film Festival. The documentary features the lives of a group of people with intellectual disabilities who travel to Egypt as well as their families and support workers.
Up until Sunday’s screening “Unlikely [...]