The Missing

When WW1 brought Australians face to face with mass death a Red Cross Information Bureau and post-war graves workers laboured to help families grieve for the missing.

The unprecedented death toll of the First World War generated a burden of grief. Particularly disturbing was the vast number of dead who were “missing” - their bodies never found. This short documentary explores two unsung humanitarian responses to the crisis of the missing of World War 1 – the Australian 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.

  • Jary Nemo
    Director
  • Jary Nemo
    Writer
  • Lucinda Horrocks
    Writer
  • Lucinda Horrocks
    Producer
  • Jary Nemo
    Producer
  • Bart Ziino
    Key Cast
  • Melanie Oppenheimer
    Key Cast
  • Richard Chew
    Music
  • Fred Cahir
    Executive Producer
  • Jary Nemo
    Editing & Sound Design
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 21 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 11, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    40,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • GSF Awards - Global Short Film Awards
    Cannes
    France
    May 20, 2022
    Honourable Mention
  • Lonely Wolf London International Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    April 30, 2022
    Semi-Finalist, Best Short Documentary
  • Spotlight Documentary Film Awards
    Atlanta, Georgia
    United States
    January 20, 2022
    Silver Award
  • Directors Circle Festival of Shorts
    Erie, Pennsylvania
    United States
    December 4, 2021
    Finalist, Best Documentary
  • Victorian Premier's History Award
    Melbourne
    Australia
    October 27, 2021
    Shortlisted
  • Australian Teachers of Media Awards
    Melbourne
    Australia
    December 10, 2020
    Finalist, Best Documentary-History
  • Victorian Community History Awards
    Melbourne, Victoria
    Australia
    October 27, 2021
    Commendation, Digital Storytelling Awards
  • Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
    Melbourne
    Australia
    June 30, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Ogeechee International History Film Festival
    Georgia
    United States
    March 5, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Setting Sun Film Festival
    Yarraville
    Australia
    February 4, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Veterans Film Festival
    Oakhurst
    Australia
    November 30, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Launch
    Melbourne
    Australia
    November 29, 2019
    Australian Premiere
  • Oz Indie Film Festival
    St Kilda
    Australia
    March 14, 2021
    Finalist
  • Wordlfest-Houston International Film Festival
    Houston
    United States
    April 20, 2022
    Finalist, Documentary Short
Director Biography - Jary Nemo

Jary Nemo is director, producer and co-founder of Wind & Sky Productions. He has worked in the media industry for four decades. Based in Australia he has worked across multiple disciplines throughout an eclectic career. His award winning work has screened internationally in cinemas, on broadcast television, at institutions, in museums, galleries and at local and international film festivals.

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Director Statement

“Telling a story about the First World War is a challenge because both film-makers and audiences feel they have seen it all before. But we knew this story – which is about a group of civilian volunteers and military volunteers responding to the crisis of the missing and dead – isn’t well known. I wanted to create something which feels cinematic and modern but connects you to what it might have felt like at the time.”