Screen Australia Announces Courtney Barnett Documentary, 'Anonymous Club'

A newly announced documentary, Anonymous Club, will focus on Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett and her rise to international recognition over the past several years.

On Wednesday, Screen Australia, the country’s key governmental department for the screen production industry, announced $2.5 million in documentary funding. Anonymous Club will receive a portion of that funding, along with 11 other documentaries, making production possible.

Danny Cohen, a longtime collaborator of Barnett’s, will write and direct the 90-minute documentary, alongside producers Philippa Campey (Brazen Hussies) and Samantha Dinning (No Time For Quiet). Film Art Media will distribute the film upon release. Cohen and Barnett’s relationship dates back many years, as Cohen has directed several of her music videos, including “Need A Little Time” and “Everybody Hates You”. Additionally, Cohen took the name of the documentary from Barnett’s 2013 song, “Anonymous Club”, off the How To Carve A Carrot Into A Rose EP.

“With unprecedented access to the personal and private life of notoriously shy, but widely acclaimed Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett, Anonymous Club delicately and intimately explores the inner life of an artist in conflict with herself,” according to the film’s synopsis

“Documentaries offer a unique opportunity to hold a mirror up to ourselves and reflect, understand and question,” said Screen Australia’s Head of Documentary, Bernadine Lim, in a media release.

Lim continued, “As we come to the end of 2020, a challenging year for so many, it’s clear that these compelling documentaries will shine a light on the important issues facing Australians including mental health, the impact of the devastating bushfires and the environment more broadly.”

In addition to the Anonymous Club documentary, Courtney Barnett also recently announced From Where I’m Standing, a special quarantine webcast set to air later this month. The indie-alt rocker recorded the fan-less show at the Royal Exhibition Building in Melbourne, Australia earlier this year and will debut the performance on December 17th. Head to Barnett’s website for more information on both Anonymous Club and From Where I’m Standing as it becomes available.