Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Capital Film Festival’s The Story of Documentary Film is a one-session documentary double at Arc Cinema, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), on Sunday 25 October 2026 at 2:00 PM. The programme pairs episode 7 of Mark Cousins’ series, about documentary’s politically charged 1970s, with Essie Coffey and Martha Ansara’s 1978 film My Survival as an Aboriginal.
What is showing at the Capital Film Festival?
The NFSA presents the screening as a documentary double, not as a general release or a standalone screening of Cousins’ series. The combined programme is listed as 107 minutes and Unclassified 15+. It consists of:
- The Story of Documentary Film, episode 7 (2026): directed by Mark Cousins, 58 minutes, Unclassified 15+. This episode examines the politically charged 1970s.
- My Survival as an Aboriginal (1978): directed by Essie Coffey and Martha Ansara, 49 minutes, PG.
These durations and classifications are those in the NFSA event listing.
Why pair these two films?
A documentary-history episode
NFSA describes Cousins’ series as an exploration of cinema across decades and continents, spanning celebrated classics and overlooked discoveries. Its listing says the series was selected for Cannes, Berlin and Sundance, and characterises this episode as a look at the politically charged 1970s. The episode offers a broad historical frame for the feature that follows.
#1 Best Overall
An Australian film shaped by its subject
My Survival as an Aboriginal brings that history into a specific Australian context. NFSA describes it as a collaboration between Muruwari woman Essie Coffey and non-Indigenous filmmaker Martha Ansara. The archive says Coffey teaches children about First Nations culture in the film and identifies it as among the first Australian films in which an Indigenous Australian helped shape the screen representation of herself and her community. NFSA also calls it the first documentary directed by an Indigenous woman; these historical-priority claims are the archive’s.
NFSA says it restored the film in 2017 and that the film returns to the big screen following its appearance in Cousins’ series. The pairing therefore moves from a survey of documentary history to a work whose authorship and perspective are part of that history.
Rank #2
- documentary
- history of documentary
- non-fiction documentary
When, where and how much?
| Detail | NFSA listing |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Sunday 25 October 2026, 2:00 PM |
| Venue | Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive of Australia |
| Address | 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton, ACT 2601 |
| Combined duration | 107 minutes |
| Classification for the double | Unclassified 15+ |
| Adult admission | $26, plus a $1.50 booking fee |
| Concession admission | $19.50, plus a $1.50 booking fee |
| Senior admission | $17, plus a $1.50 booking fee |
Ticket amounts are the figures on the NFSA listing checked 7 October 2026; availability and details may change. Confirm the current price and session status on the official event page before booking.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Getting to Arc Cinema
NFSA places Arc Cinema between Lake Burley Griffin and the Australian National University grounds. The archive says it is about a 10-minute walk from the city and state bus interchanges. Use the venue address, 1 McCoy Circuit, Acton, ACT 2601, when planning your route. See the NFSA visitor information for venue details.
Recommended Free Tools
Quick Recap
Rank #3
How to book
- Open the NFSA listing for Capital Film Festival: The Story of Documentary Film.
- Check that the Sunday 25 October 2026, 2:00 PM Arc Cinema session is available, then select the ticket category that applies to you.
- Review the booking fee and the final total shown at checkout before completing the purchase.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
