Australia Uncovered returns to SBS with three powerful documentaries exploring complex Australian stories.
SBS has confirmed the return of its documentary strand Australia Uncovered, unveiling a new season featuring three stand-alone films that examine confronting, complex and deeply personal Australian stories.
The latest instalment brings together projects from established filmmakers, with each documentary tackling a distinct subject — from the boundaries of free speech and controversial ideas, to unresolved historical investigations and a landmark criminal case.
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Safran dives headfirst into the free speech divide
Opening the season is Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran!, which sees writer and satirist John Safran turn his attention to one of the most divisive debates in modern Australia — the limits of free speech.
The documentary explores a growing national tension, with polling suggesting Australians are split between those who believe free speech should remain largely unrestricted in a democracy, and those who argue that offensive ideas should be regulated to protect vulnerable communities.
Safran, whose career has often courted controversy, places himself at the centre of the discussion. Against the backdrop of the Bondi terror attack and renewed political focus on restricting offensive speech, he questions where the line should be drawn.
In typical fashion, Safran engages directly with individuals who have been accused of going too far. Among them are sex worker and porn creator Blue-Eyed Kayla Jade, a self-identified Nazi pursuing political ambitions, and an exorcist entangled in legal troubles.
The film ultimately interrogates whether a multicultural society can sustain unrestricted expression, or whether there is a point at which speech must be curtailed.
John Safran said:
“Australia is vibrating with anxiety over what we can and cannot say.
When is free speech so dangerous it should get you prison time?
With a history of going too far myself, I’m just the guy to poke at every bees’ nest and step on every landmine in this debate.”
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Uncovering Australia’s hidden Nazi past
The second documentary, The Hunt for the Last Nazis, shifts focus to a historical investigation led by filmmaker Dan Goldberg, examining how alleged Nazi war criminals were able to settle in Australia after World War II.
Drawing on rare and previously unseen classified material, including video footage and audio recordings, the film explores claims that hundreds — possibly thousands — of alleged war criminals evaded justice after arriving in Australia.
It revisits a controversial chapter in Australian history, beginning with the country’s decision in 1961 to offer amnesty to Nazi war criminals. That position was later reversed in 1987 by Bob Hawke, who established a Special Investigations Unit tasked with identifying and prosecuting suspects.
The documentary centres on three cases: Ivan Polyukhovich, the only individual to stand trial; Konrads Kalejs, who spent years evading authorities while holding an Australian passport; and Karlis Ozols, believed to be among the highest-ranking alleged Nazis living in Australia.
Goldberg traces the investigation across continents, from suburban Australia to remote European villages, as detectives race against time to preserve eyewitness testimony and fragile archival evidence.
Dan Goldberg said:
“This documentary began with a question that’s both confronting and deeply Australian: how did so many alleged Nazi war criminals manage to settle here after World War II and live out their lives largely undisturbed?
What fascinated me was the race against time: detectives chasing fading memories, fragile tapes and reluctant witnesses across continents.
Through rare recordings and extraordinary testimony, the film explores the tension between justice, history and the uncomfortable truth that some of these stories unfolded in our own suburbs.”
A landmark legal case takes centre stage
Rounding out the season is We Are Jeni, which tells the story of Dr Jeni Haynes and one of the most unusual criminal cases in Australian legal history.
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Haynes lives with dissociative identity disorder, having developed more than 2,500 distinct personalities — known as alters — as a response to severe childhood trauma. These alters became central to a criminal case against her father, with the court allowing them to give evidence in what is described as a world-first legal precedent.
The documentary follows Haynes’ pursuit of justice alongside Detective Paul Stamoulis, who spent years working to extradite her father back to Australia, and psychiatrist Dr George Blair-West, who helped establish that her condition preserved, rather than distorted, key evidence.
Her testimony challenged long-held assumptions about memory and trauma, with her mind ultimately recognised as a mechanism that retained detailed recollections of past events.
Dr Jeni Haynes said:
“Our whole life we had been told that our story would never be believed, and that everyone would think we were crazy.
When we waived our right to anonymity at Dad’s trial in 2019, we were terrified we were setting ourselves up for disbelief, scorn, and ridicule.
We never imagined our MPD/DID would become the story.
We realised our discomfort was all worth it if sharing our story helped other survivors.”
SBS and Screen Australia highlight the series’ impact
SBS Head of Unscripted Joseph Maxwell described the new season as a continuation of the broadcaster’s commitment to distinctive storytelling.
“SBS is delighted to return with another exceptional season of Australia Uncovered.
Created by some of Australia’s leading filmmakers, this strand of three single documentaries delves into diverse, emotional and life-changing stories that will resonate with and captivate viewers.”
Screen Australia Head of Documentary Richard Huddleston said the films aim to challenge audiences while exploring complex issues.
“Australia Uncovered brings together fearless filmmakers to tell compelling stories that explore hard truths, challenge assumptions and illuminate extraordinary lives.
These documentaries will move and surprise audiences, grow understanding of complex issues while celebrating the strength and resilience of the human spirit.”
Each film is produced by different production companies, including Chemical Media, Mint Pictures, and Smith&Nasht in collaboration with Arrow Media, with funding support from organisations such as Screen Australia, SBS, VicScreen, Screen NSW, and the Shark Island Institute.
All three documentaries will also be available to stream on SBS On Demand, with subtitles offered in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Australia Uncovered Season 4 premieres with Shut Your Big Fat Mouth John Safran! on Sunday 24 May at 7:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand, followed by The Hunt for the Last Nazis on Sunday 31 May at 7:30pm and We Are Jeni on Sunday 7 June at 7:30pm.
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