The LSAF end of 2023 wrap.

Hi all. Hope you are all well. 

What a year, we’re glad to be finally winding down a little. Hope you find some time to chill too.

It’s been a massive year for Light Sound Art Film and we wanted to share some highlights below. In 2024 our mantra is partnerships and collaborations so if you like what we do, if there is something we can do for you or if you would like to work with us on one of our projects, please reach out. We have skills across all areas of film production and distribution and many connections internationally, particular and more uniquely in West Africa, Nepal and Indonesia. If you’re looking to produce anything in these regions we are 100% sure we can help.

The Surf Film Archive x Headland live.

Straight after Australian International Documentary Conference in Melbourne we travelled to Noosa and to our sold out our live show. 400 people packed The J to see Headland play live to the best of The Surf Film Archive. We are planning more shows in 2024. If you would like to include this very special crowd-pleasing event in your festival or event schedule we would love to join you.

Education is a Dream - Live theatre production

Then it was rehearsals with Muzafar and our live theatre show Education is a Dream as part of the Dream Big Festival at the Adelaide Festival Centre. The show dramatises Muzafar’s journey from Quetta to Afghanistan, working with the UN, becoming an internationally renowned photographer and setting up a refugee-led school in Indonesia. The highlight for the audience is when we Skype with the refugee school in Indonesia and allow everyone to ask questions from each other. 

The show perfectly captures our approach of using art to bring community’s together and provides a beautiful, emotional and memorable moment of connection for the refugee and non-refugee kids. Aimed at 10-15 year olds, this show is very much ready to tour and would fit any school program. Just reach out! We’d love to hear from you.

Watandar, My Countryman - National Cinema Release

Website and more

June saw Muzafar and Jolyon launched into our National Cinema Release for Watandar, My Countryman. 38 Q&A screenings over 44 days in every state of Australia, followed up with ongoing screenings at select cinemas.

It was a huge success and we reached over 100K at the Box Office. We wish it was all profit but it’s not, but we love bringing communities together and, even though it is difficult, we still believe that cinema is still the best place to do it. One of our highlights was screening Watandar in Marree on the weekend of the Curry Cook Up and Camel Cup. We sold our 4 sessions in the small community cinema which holds 30 people. This means we sold 120 tickets in a town of 72!!

Many from the Cameleer Descendants came and, as part of the Q&A, we asked them to speak. More than once the people speaking realised they were related to each other as they heard each others story!! There were plenty of tears.

The film highlights one of the first skilled migrant communities in Australia and it’s amazing to think that one day around 160 years ago in South Australia, an Afghan and an Aboriginal person met for the first time!! We’d love to find more platforms to share this special film.

You Should Have Been Here Yesterday - World Premiere at Adelaide Film Festival

We weren’t over because then it was time to edit and finish up, You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, The experiential film utilises over 200+ hours of lost surf film footage we had scanned for The Surf Film Archive. The film premiered at the mighty Adelaide Film Festival, in October and will screen at festivals in 2024. We are working with our distribution partners Umbrella to design a cinema and festival release for late 2024. Look out for us in a town near you!

We also presented two public art displays commemorating the fall of Afghanistan in Victoria Square, Adelaide and at Parliament House in Canberra.

So that’s us for 2023. 2024 is about partnerships and collaborations so please reach out if you’d like to have a chat.

Our best wishes to you  and all your loved ones all for the holiday season. Enjoy every moment

Jolyon, Hamish and Muzafar

Light Sound Art Film would like to invite you for a spritzer or two.

Holy Moley!

The end of the year is around the corner and Light Sound Art Film would like to invite you for a spritzer or two to celebrate.

It’s next Tuesday afternoon at The Jade, from 4:30 -6:30pm. Let us know if you can make it below. Directions to The Jade

Photos from Watandar, My Countryman Premiere

Below are some photos from yesterday’s World Premiere of Watandar, My Countryman. We are still gathering our emotions and thoughts and will share more later. A thousand thanks to the Adelaide Film Festival, Mat Kesting and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund for making it happen.

There is another screening on Saturday Night, 8pm at Prospect Cinemas. Muzafar and I will be there again. Get your tickets at the link. Don’t miss this special event.

https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/event/watandar-my-countryman/

Some responses from last night

“A truly amazing story. Needed more tissues though!” ‘I loved it! Everyone did an amazing job!!!’ Andrea Michaels MP Arts Minister of South Australia

"I’m still lost for words. Muzafar Ali and Jolyon Hoff are courageous storytellers, and we're proud to be able to support their journey. It's a film all South Australians need to see." Anton Andreacchio, Chair Adelaide Film Festival.

“Wow. What a wonderful piece of cinema and documentary magic you guys have created. I loved it. Vicki loved it. The audience loved it. Undeniably, it touches the soul. Yesterday’s world premiere was proof.” David Minear Bombora Records, Former Chair South Australian Film Corporation & Adelaide Fringe Festival

Powerful, A must watch. Peter Hanlon, Producer The Angels: Kicking Down The Door.

Watandar, My Countryman celebrates the coming together of ancient cultures. Not to be missed. Nici Cumpston, Nici Cumpston Artistic Director, Tarnanthi Curator, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art, Art Gallery South Australia, Barkandji people, New South Wales

Such a beautiful film. Watandar, My Countryman is my favourite film of the Festival so far. Kate Croser, CEO South Australian Film Corporation

World Premiere of Watandar, My Countryman. Tickets selling fast.

This Sunday night is the World Premiere of Watandar, My Countryman at the magnificent Adelaide Film Festival. You are all invited. Tickets are selling fast, so please grab yours as soon as possible. And if you do, please come to our pre-launch get together (email for details).

We are especially honoured to be launching this film at The Adelaide Film Festival. They were our first supporters and their support is the plank on which we financed the film.

There is an overwhelming surplus of films, series, and stories in the world at the moment but the space is dominated by multinational corporations, making it harder than ever to tell our stories. The Adelaide Film Festival’s Investment Fund is a precious resource for Australian and South Australian filmmakers, and one of the most important film funds in the country and the world.

Watandar, My Countryman is a film with global and national relevance and could only have been told in South Australia. We are very proud to be sharing it with you this Sunday Afternoon. See you there.

Watandar, My Countryman. We are all a little bit more connected than we think.







As multinational corporations dominate the films space and





The AFF Investment fund is one of the most important funds in Australian film. In a strange inverse





We cannot wait to share this story which will resonate nationally and worldwide, but could only have been told right here in South Australia.





Watandar, My Countryman Premiere. Sunday, 23rd October at 1:45pm.

Dear friends,

We are nearly there. What a journey! We can’t wait to share this remarkable film with you. A sneak peek at the trailer below. Please don’t share publicly yet.

WATANDAR, MY COUNTRYMAN TRAILER (PW: Watandar2022)

The premiere will be at the Adelaide Film Festival  Sunday, 23rd October at 1:45pm. 

TICKETS ON SALE 7PM MONDAY 12TH September.

There will be red carpet, cameras, lights, an afterparty. We would LOVE to see you there. We have arranged for some tickets to be put aside especially for friends of the film. There’s a discount and they will be good seats. Use the code - AFFWATANDAR22

Please get your tickets as soon as possible and share this link with anyone you think might like to join us on the day.

Thank you all. See you there!

Jolyon, Muzafar, Hamish, Kat and Luke

(If you know anyone who should be there on the day, but needs help purchasing a ticket, we will happily sponsor the ticket. Please let us know.)

Below are some Behind the Scenes photos.



This Sunday evening in Victoria Square. A vigil for the fall of Afghanistan. We hope you can join us.

An Afghanistan Lost

A Public photo exhibition marking one year since the fall of Kabul

Sunday 14th August 6pm-9pm VICTORIA SQUARE / TARNTANYANGGA

To mark 1 year since the fall of Kabul, Light Sound Art Film and Muzafar Ali will be projecting a montage of Muzafar’s images from Afghanistan in Victoria Square. The images will be projected on a 5 metre screen and across 4 themes - Children, Education, Life and Women.

"Across 2005-2012 I took thousands of photographs of ordinary life in Afghanistan. When I was forced to leave I smuggled them out of the country in a sleeping bag, knowing that they would become priceless. These photos represent what has been lost - the hope and aspirations of the everyday people of Afghanistan."

- Muzafar Ali

All are welcome to join and are encouraged to mark the event in their own way.

Curry night in Marree

We had a beautiful trip Marree to film the Camel Cup and, more importantly, the next day get together of the Afghan Cameleer Descendants. Now it’s heads down in the edit room to prepare for our October Premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival! Hope to see you there.

Some photos below, don’t miss the tug-of-war. Afghans vs the Mechanics from Mt Gambier.



Big hearts, live music, classic images and old salts. Byron Theatre a sell out!

A full house came to see Murray Patterson and Headland bring the rescanned Surf Film Archive images to life. It really was something special. Big warm-hearted energy filled the room and people left with massive smiles and huge stoke. Us included!

Our goal is to have the event and surf films included as part of next year’s 50th Anniversary of the Sydney Opera House. For those who don’t know surf films have a long history at the Opera House. A brief background below.

The Opera House was always a controversial building. It was so expensive they had to hold a lottery to raise the funds. The government told everyone it was going to be ‘The People’s House’, but when it was opened it was quickly captured by the ‘top of town’. This was a problem for the politicians. Surf filmmaker and architect, Paul Witzig, knew Joen Utzon, the architect, and convinced him that surf films would bring in the ‘people’. Joen spoke to the director of the Opera House and every Friday night in Summer became Surf Film Night. Thousands of kids from the beaches and suburbs flocked to the Opera House forecourt. It was a strange scene, the scruffy stoned surfers mixed among the tuxedos, but for a short while the Opera House fulfilled its promise to be the People’s House.

In the meantime, more Surf Film Archive shows coming soon. See you all there.

Jolyon, Hamish & Kade

That Was Then, This Is Now. SOLD OUT!

We recently SOLD OUT our event, That Was Then, This Is Now - A live show featuring the North Coast’s most salty musicians Headland and a curated selection from The Surf Film Archive. We loved seeing the remastered footage up on the big screen as Murray and his band brought the images to life.

We’re planning another event in Byron Bay on the 16th July and would love to tour the show more widely. So if you know any festival directors looking for a live and authentic, crowd-pleasing, show please share this email.

Photos and video below.

See you all soon.

Jolyon, Hamish, Kade and the LSAF team.

The Surf Film Archive & Headland live in Coffs Harbour.

“Utterly fantastic”

— ROSS HAMILTON

“Treasure chest...thats what you got given! ....... well done, looking forward to seeing more Aussie surf culture appearing before our eyes, yew”

— DEAN WARE

Thanks as always to the sponsors of The Surf Film Archive

Watandar, My Countryman Exhibition Launch

Thanks to everyone who came out last Thursday evening. What an incredible night.

If we come together to share our stories there is no longer us and them, just us. Last week we had cameleer descendants, stolen generation survivors, former Afghan refugees, Afghans who arrived after the fall of the country to the Taliban, academics, artists, doctors and many other all in the same room. We were especially chuffed to have so many descendants of Jack/Akbar and Lallie there.

Please drop by the Kerry Packer Gallery if you are in Adelaide this month. The exhibition is up until the 6th July.

If you would like a tour with Muzafar and/or Jolyon please email and we will try to accomodate.



It’s time for another occasional newsletter. Issue 3.

I hope all is well wherever you are. This year has been a year of consolidation for Light Sound Art Film (LSAF) in South Australia. The company is now neatly set up in the St Paul’s Creative Centre - a fabulous government supported centre in an old church just a couple of blocks from Rundle Mall. We love it here. Please drop by anytime you are in Adelaide. 200 Pulteney St.

We’re focusing on our documentary work in 2021, but are still looking to develop drama for 2022/23. The SAFC and Stan have announced a Development fund for Scripted Series. So if you have anything which might suit filming in SA, we would be happy to discuss partnering.

We’ve reworked our website too.

Muzafar working in the afternoon light at our St Paul’s office.

Muzafar working in the afternoon light at our St Paul’s office.

Hamish Ludbrook has joined our team as ‘king of hard drives’. He takes care of all things editing and his energy and enthusiasm is infectious around the office. We’re especially pleased that he stayed in South Australia. An Adelaide local, he was about to take off to Sydney and the commercial editing world, but watched The Staging Post and chose to join Light Sound Art Film instead. That’s one for South Australia vs the East Coast!

Hamish and Quinn in a recent Mullet-off. It’s length vs strength

Hamish and Quinn in a recent Mullet-off. It’s length vs strength

In production news, our surf documentary ‘You Should’ve Been Here Yesterday’ received a cinema distribution deal, Provisional Producer Offset Certificate and enough private investment to get started, so Hamish is scanning the original surf films with our partners, Billy Wychgel and Gabs at Elements Post. 

The idea is to rescan the ‘lost’ Australian surfing films and to use them to track a different path through the history of surfing - highlighting surfing’s cultural influence on early environmentalism, experimental art and the resurgence of the film industry in Australia.

Hamish with colour grading legend Billy Wychgel scanning and restoring Australia’s lost surf films.

Hamish with colour grading legend Billy Wychgel scanning and restoring Australia’s lost surf films.

In political terms surfing is one place where the so-called ‘liberal elite’ and the ‘working class’ exist together. This film will prove that we have more in common that we think. Of course, that political stuff is all deeply hidden in some killer Aussie yarns and beautifully remastered 16mm observational footage.

Can’t wait to see it on the big screen in 2022.

Farahnaz is ready for the world, but will we ever give her a chance.

Farahnaz is ready for the world, but will we ever give her a chance.

Caroline is on our newest film too, about the Afghan cameleer descendants. When Muzafar, a recently arrived former Afghan refugee, realised that Afghans had been here for 160 years he decided he must photograph document their stories before they are lost. The photos will be exhibited at the Kerry Packer Gallery as part of SA History Week in May 2022, and LSAF is going to film the journey for a documentary film.

Muzafar and his daughter, Shugra.

Muzafar and his daughter, Shugra.

It’s a deeply South Australian story centred around a small Ghantown in Marree, but it’s one which touches on some of the biggest national and global issues of today; our Aboriginal and White Australian history, Australia’s 21st century multi-cultural identity, the tension between Islam and Christianity, the global colonial legacy, and our role supporting the United States in Afghanistan. The last project we began with Muzafar became a 2000 strong refugee-led education revolution. We’re sure this is going to be another important project. Stay tuned for more news.

In tech news, we have purchased ourselves an Arri Mini package. When we’re not using it, it’s available for rent at reasonable prices for good people like you.

In tech news, we have purchased ourselves an Arri Mini package. When we’re not using it, it’s available for rent at reasonable prices for good people like you.

Please drop a line if you have time and hopefully see you in Adelaide soon.

Have a think about the SAFC/Stan opportunity. We are building a production team here and will be looking to move into drama production in 2022/23.

From the LSAF team

Jolyon, Muzafar and Hamish

The Occasional. Ep 2. Welcome 2021. Want to collaborate?

I hope you are all well wherever you are. A boggling year! At least 2021 comes with reduced COVID-19 and less Donald Trump. 

This year I’m looking to collaborate with people like yourself. I'm based in Adelaide and can travel nationally (and internationally when possible). I’m highly versatile and can produce, co-produce, or direct your project across a range of budgets, formats and styles.

Light Sound Art Film has continued to develop and produce projects and we recently managed shoots in; Malibu Beach, Los Angeles, Bogor, Indonesia and in a Cessna plane over Washington DC! Let me know if you need help with remote shooting! 

Are you looking to scan your 16/35/70mm films to 4K and get it ready for streamers! As part of our documentary and archive project, You Should’ve Been Here Yesterday, we have established a great film-scanning and restoration pipeline and maybe we can help. Please get in touch for rates and options.

We’ve continued to develop our slate and are looking for collaborators for the projects below.

If you want to know more about any of our productions we’d love to hear from you. Hope we can meet again soon for laughs and adventures - filmmaking or otherwise.

Love to all.

Jolyon

Escape to Adelaide - A short story.

How good is Adelaide you ask? It’s so good!

Firstly an admission. I’m a Sydneysider. I grew up and loved its raw, unexpected and unvarnished corners. Corners which mostly seem to have been polished away these days, but this story isn’t about Sydney it’s about Adelaide. I married an Adelaide girl and have found myself here for Christmas’s and holidays over the years. Right now, during COVID, I find myself here again.

We had been living in Nepal and spent 3 months in lockdown earlier this year. It wasn’t so bad. We had a lovely garden and enjoyed endless lunches under its magical magnolia tree. The pollution disappeared and the Himalayas sparkled on the horizon but, after three months, we decided to leave. Who knew, who knows, how long this pandemic will last. So via two quarantines, Canberra and Adelaide, we arrived back here and (relatively) free from COVID. 

It’s what happened next that was remarkable. The kids were in school by lunchtime on the first day out of quarantine and I was free! All the Adelaide attributes I used to turn my nose up at had become shining stars. The small, flat city? I ride my bike around in an hour, exploring alleyways and stopping here and there for food and coffee. The regimented square roads? No need for Google.

I’m a filmmaker, so my projects were all upside down, but it also seemed like a time to develop the ideas I’d developed over 10+ years of living in developing countries. An unexpected gift. A clear run without distractions. 

This is where Adelaide really started to shine! It didn’t take me long to find St Paul’s Creative Centre. A government supported co-working space in an old church. It’s full of musicians, music promoters, app developers, with kitchens, printers, boardrooms, lounges, coffee and tea. Cool as heck!  They hold events every week. A free sandwich here, a speaker’s event there. I’ve met executives from SA Music, Music Viva, SA Film and young freelancers of all stripes. It’s just two blocks from the city, so I can take a stroll to the Art Gallery, down the mall, or check out some clothes whenever I need some inspiration.

The creative agencies and government here seem to love the arts. They're not hard to find, willing to listen and happy to help. A friend of mine is editing at Lot 14 and its easy to see the ambition and possibilities.

I’ve started to think Adelaide doesn’t get how good they have it. They do, but do they really?

I’ve started to digitise and edit a documentary about a refugee-led education revolution in Indonesia, optioned and written a script for a film about crime and corruption on Hawaii’s North Shore, Welcome to Paradise, Now Go To Hell, and I’ve written a screenplay for an Antonioni-esque feature film set in the desert.

Thanks so much Adelaide. You’re the best. I might never leave!




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