Before John Safran became the mischievous provocateur of Australian television, he was just another aspiring filmmaker with a camera and a dream. This Monday, ABC’s “Australian Story” takes us back to 1997, revisiting the chaotic and often hazardous origins of Safran’s career in a retrospective on the groundbreaking competition, “Race Around the World.”
Imagine eight filmmakers, armed with then-cutting-edge digital cameras, tasked with producing a four-minute documentary every 10 days while circling the globe. That was the premise of “Race Around the World,” a show that not only launched Safran’s career but also helped redefine documentary filmmaking for a new generation.
The competition wasn’t just about creativity; it was about survival. Contestants recount robberies, muggings, and a general sense of being pushed to their absolute limits. Richard Fidler, the show’s presenter, describes it as a “weird TV dream that actually came true,” a sentiment that likely resonates with anyone who witnessed the show’s blend of ingenuity and sheer recklessness.
“Australian Story” examines the impact of “Race Around the World,” featuring interviews with Safran, fellow contestants like Tony Wilson and Bentley Dean, and winner Olivia Rousset. Contestant Daniel Marsden even suggests the filmmakers were early “influencers,” pioneering a style of self-filmed documentary that prefigured today’s social media landscape. Safran himself reflects on some of his more controversial antics, including, yes, streaking through Jerusalem.
“Australian Story: Race Around the World Retrospective” airs Monday, 10 November at 8:00 PM on ABC.
