Gosnells filmmaker Dan Riches is reaching for the stars, literally, with his latest project A Search Beyond The Stars, a new short documentary revealing Western Australia’s lesser-known contributions to space exploration.
Riches, together with his brother Luke from Beaconsfield, has just been named one of four recipients of up to $25,000 in funding as part of the third season of WA Reflections, an initiative by Screenwest and the State Library of WA.
The project gives early to mid-career filmmakers access to the State Library’s vast historical archives, including letters, diaries, photographs and oral histories, to tell uniquely Western Australian stories. This year’s selected documentaries explore everything from iconic 70s rock masses to drag king pioneers.
The Riches brothers’ film will explore WA’s astronomical legacy, a subject they say has been largely overlooked.
“We love storytelling, and the dream location to tell a story is beside a campfire, under the stars,” said producer Luke Riches.
“A Search Beyond The Stars is a documentary exploring the rich history of WA’s achievements in space exploration—the times, the people, and the mystery that keeps us looking up into the sky. This initiative will allow us to explore the interesting characters and achievements made in our beautiful state, and push the boundaries of storytelling.”
The pair join fellow creatives producing films that reimagine moments from WA’s history through a contemporary lens, including Love, Rock En Masse, a deep dive into the fusion of rock and religion in 1970s Perth.
In addition, I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana, which honours vaudeville icon and male impersonator Effie Fellows is included.
All four projects will be mentored by executive producer Paul Williams, best known for the critically acclaimed documentary Gurrumul.
State Librarian Catherine Clark said the project continues to bring “diverse Western Australian stories to life,” while Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall praised the initiative for helping to “create a lasting legacy about distinctly Western Australian people, places and happenings.”
The completed documentaries will join the growing WA Reflections archive, a collection that now includes immersive VR experiences, murder mystery dramatisations, and tributes to trailblazing local figures, available through the State Library’s website and YouTube channel.
The documentary season officially launched April 3.
