Martha Ansara facts for kids

Martha Ansara is an Australian filmmaker, writer, and teacher who was born in the United States. She is known for making documentary films. Martha was one of the first women in Australia to work as a cinematographer, which means she operated the camera for movies. She also helped start several important groups, like the Sydney Women's Film Group and Ozdox, which is a forum for Australian documentaries.

Early Life and Education

Martha Ansara was born in the United States. Her father was a leader in the Syrian-Lebanese community there. Her mother was a teacher who helped students with dyslexia, a learning difficulty.

Moving to Australia

In 1969, Martha moved to Australia. She quickly became involved with the Sydney Filmmakers Co-operative. This group helped young filmmakers make movies. At that time, most cinematographers were men, so it was hard for women to find work in that field.

Film School and University

In 1975, Martha was accepted into the first full-time course at the Australian Film and Television School (now AFTRS). She studied there for three years and finished in 1978. Later, in 1994, she earned a master's degree in Applied History from the University of Technology Sydney.

Career as a Filmmaker

Martha Ansara was one of the first women in Australia to work as a cinematographer. She is famous for her documentaries that focus on social issues.

Starting Out in Film (1970s–1990s)

After film school, Martha worked as a camera assistant. She also started writing reviews and articles about films for Filmnews and other publications. She admired Dutch documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens and wrote about his work.

Martha also helped promote women in filmmaking. She was involved with the Sydney Women's Film Group (SWFG), which started in 1973. She also worked with the Women's Film Fund of the Australian Film Commission.

Making Important Documentaries

In the 1970s, Martha became involved in social movements. She joined the anti-Vietnam War movement and later worked with groups promoting peace. With their support, she made Changing the Needle (1982). This was one of the first documentaries filmed by Westerners in Vietnam.

In 1973, the Sydney Women's Film Group released A Film for Discussion. This film was made to encourage audiences to think and talk about the topics presented.

Martha also worked with Aboriginal Australians. In 1976, she met community activist and singer Essie Coffey. Martha then filmed Essie's movie, My Survival as an Aboriginal (1979). They worked together again on a sequel, My Life As I Live It (1993). My Survival as an Aboriginal was later chosen to be preserved by Australia's National Film and Sound Archive.

In 1978, Martha made Secret Storm, a film about a young mother. She also acted in the movie Third Person Plural that same year.

In 1983, Martha was the cinematographer for Lousy Little Sixpence. This documentary was about the Stolen Generations, a sad time in Australian history. She also worked with Aboriginal activist Robert Bropho in Western Australia. They made Always Was, Always Will Be (1989), a documentary about the Swan Brewery Dispute.

Directing and Producing Films

In 1988, Martha produced and directed the anti-nuclear film The Pursuit of Happiness (1987). The money for this film came from private donations. It explored themes like motherhood, war, and women's independence.

Martha also helped start the Film and Broadcast Industries Oral History Group in 1991. This group records the stories of people who worked in the film and broadcast industries.

Later Career (2000s)

In 2002, Martha produced Ordinary People. This documentary followed a political candidate over two years.

In 2003, Martha and other documentary makers formed Ozdox, the Australian Documentary Forum. This group supports documentary filmmaking in Australia. Around the same time, she helped create the Archive Forum. This group worked to make the National Film and Sound Archive a stronger, independent organization, which happened in 2008.

In 2005, Martha worked on The Shadowcatchers: A history of cinematography in Australia. This book tells the story of cinematography in Australia, using many oral histories. She also produced the documentary I Remember 1948.

In 2009, she directed and co-produced a short comedy film called The Ballad of Betty and Joe. Martha has since retired from making films, but she still distributes some of her DVDs through Ballad Films.

Memberships and Other Roles

Martha Ansara is a full member of the Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS). She is also a life member of the Australian Directors Guild and a founding member of Ozdox. She belongs to the Society of Australian Cinema Pioneers as well.

Martha has been involved in many film industry groups and campaigns. She has also been a judge for film awards and festivals. She has taught film history and Aboriginal history. Martha has written about film and been active in trade unions, women's rights, and peace movements.

Recognition and Awards

Martha Ansara's documentary films have been shown in many countries. Some of them have won international awards.

In 1987, she received the Australian Film Institute's Byron Kennedy Award. This award honors people who show great innovation and excellence in film and television.

In 2001, she received the Women's Electoral Lobby's Edna Ryan Award for Media/Communication.

Martha was added to the ACS Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2017, OzDox and the Australian Cinematographers Society held a special event called "Salute" to honor her work.

Personal Life

Martha Ansara is the mother of Australian actor Alice Ansara.

Selected Films

• 1973 Film for Discussion (director, producer)
• 1977 Me and Daphne (cinematographer, co-producer)
• 1978 Letters from Poland (cinematographer)
• 1979 Child Welfare (cinematographer)
• 1979 My Survival as an Aboriginal (cinematographer, co-producer)
• 1980 Climbers (cinematographer)
• 1980 Age Before Beauty (cinematographer)
• 1981 Flamingo Park (cinematographer)
• 1982 Changing the Needle (co-director/producer, cinematographer)
• 1985 Taking a Look (cinematographer)
• 1985 Rocking the Foundations (cinematographer)
• 1988 The Pursuit of Happiness (director, producer)
• 1994 My Life as I Live It (cinematographer, co-director, co-producer)
• 2002 Ordinary People (producer)
• 2005 I Remember 1948 (producer)
• 2009 The Ballad of Betty and Joe (director, co-producer)
• 2020 Women of Steel (consulting producer)

Selected Books

• Always Was, Always Will Be: The sacred grounds of the Waugal, Kings Park, Perth W.A.: the Old Swan Brewery dispute (1989)
• The Shadowcatchers: A history of cinematography in Australia (2012)