IN LOVING MEMORY

A film on the late Heath Ledger leads the top-tier content on Fox Docos, writes siobhan duck

HIS documentary on late Australian actor Heath Ledger opened to widespread critical acclaim but there was one review that mattered most to co-director Derik Murray: that of the grieving Ledger family. Ledger’s parents, Kim and Sally, along with sister Kate, had placed tremendous trust in Murray’s team, sharing anecdotes and precious home movies for

I Am Heath Ledger.

“[Ledger’s family] were in Australia and we were in Canada, so we had provided a link to the film. Not the actual finished film, but one that was in the advanced stage... with the story all in place,” Murray explains.

“We were very proud of it but were on pins and needles until they watched it. And their response was overwhelming. It was an emotional experience, but also a positive experience.”

The family later joined him at the documentary’s sold-out premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017. The group held hands throughout the screening.

Convincing families of any legendary performer to collaborate on a project is often challenging.

“He passed away far too young [Ledger was just 28 when he died of an accidental overdose in 2008]. And it was something they were still trying to live with,” Murray says. “Not that you’re ever going to get used to it, but it was still very early for them. They were reticent and they’d been approached on many different levels [to share their stories].”

The Ledger family only came on board after watching other chapters from the I Am documentary series, which feature intimate portraits of several deceased personalities, including Bruce Lee, Patrick Swayze and Steve McQueen.

According to Murray, gone are the days of “old and stodgy” documentaries. The huge appetite for the popular genre has prompted more investment in the artform, leading to a far higher quality product.

It’s also the reason Foxtel has launched its Fox Docos channel, with more than 600 hours of true stories, including the I Am series.

Murray reveals the documentaries have been so successful that they’re now expanding the series to include living icons, with several “Australian legends” among those who’ll make the grade.

“The incredible number of individuals who have put their mark on the world and come from Down Under is staggering,” he says. “It’s extraordinary. Is there something in the water? Or in the beer, perhaps?”

THE I AM DOCO SERIES

7.30pm, Friday, Fox docos and streaming, Foxtel on demand