Critical acclaim continues for The Missing

A short documentary exploring two unsung humanitarian responses during World War 1 continues to win plaudits and awards four years after its launch.

The Missing details the efforts of the Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau and the post-war work of the Australian Graves Detachment and Graves Services. It tells of a remarkable group of men and women, ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, who laboured to provide comfort and connection to grieving families in distant Australia.

With original compositions by Federation’s Dr Richard Chew and rarely seen archival images from the Australian Red Cross Heritage Collection, this Wind & Sky Production was directed by Jary Nemo and written and produced by Jary Nemo and Lucinda Horrocks, based on the research of Associate Professor Fred Cahir who is also the documentary’s executive producer.

Here’s the story so far for The Missing.

Awards and Nominations – Wind & Sky Productions

The Missing (2019):Winner, Best Short Documentary, Inspirational Film Festival 2023. Semi-Finalist, Best Short Documentary, MAGMA Hawaii International Festival of Independent Cinema 2022, Nominee, Best Short Documentary, SENSEI Tokyo FilmFest December 2022. Nominee, Best Expository Documentary, SENSEI Tokyo FilmFest December 2022. Nominee, Best Theme-Driven Documentary, FilmHaus Berlin November 2022. Finalist, Best Short Documentary, FilmHaus Berlin November 2022. Semi-Finalist, Best Short Documentary, Climax Film Journal and Awards 2022. Semi-Finalist, Best Theme-Driven Documentary, Climax Film Journal and Awards 2022. Nominee, Best Short Film from the Archives, British Short Film Awards 2022. Semi-Finalist, Best Short Documentary, Lonely Wolf International Film Festival Spring Edition, 2022. Honourable Mention, Social Concern Category, GSF Awards-Global Short Film Awards 2022. Silver Award, Spotlight Documentary Film Awards 2021. Nominee, Documentary, Directors Circle Festival of Shorts, 2021. Shortlisted, Victorian Premier’s History Award, 2021. Commendation, Digital Storytelling, Victorian Community History Awards, 2021. Finalist, Documentary Short, Oz Indie Film Festival, 2021. Finalist, Best Documentary - History, Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Awards, 2020.

Festival Screenings – Wind & Sky Productions

The Missing (2019):Inspirational Film Festival 2023, History Film Festival (Croatia) 2022, MAGMA Hawaii International Festival of Independent Cinema 2022, SENSEI Tokyo FilmFest December 2022, FilmHaus Berlin November 2022, Lonely Wolf International Film Festival Spring Edition 2022, Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2020, Carmarthen Bay Film Festival 2020 (Cancelled due to COVID-19), Setting Sun Film Festival 2020 (Postponed due to COVID-19), Veterans Film Festival 2020, Ogeechee International History Film Festival 2021.

Related reading:

The Missing: the inspiring Australians who went looking for the war dead

After the war: remembering those who chose to stay behind