Shaun Micallef drank too much in his University days and hasn’t touched a drop since. Now his sons are hitting drinking age and it’s got him thinking.
What kind of national drinking culture are they about to dive into? In this timely documentary series Shaun takes a physical and personal journey around the nation to discover the new face of alcohol in Australia.
He is confronted by the highs and lows of alcohol consumption, and witnesses the changing shape of our national pastime. Where are we heading as a nation? Is there a looming shift in our attitude to alcohol?
In the first episode, Shaun reveals his own origins with alcohol – from his self-combusting drunken grandfather to passing out at University and becoming a teetotaller. Then he explores why drinking is so ingrained in Australian culture.
From the rum rebellion to sport and the movies. Following a wild night at a country Bachelors & Spinsters ball he comes to understand the social bonding drinking brings, but after meeting an alcoholic with a transplanted liver he wonders if it’s worth the cost.
Production details
A CJZ production for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Principal production investment from the ABC in association with Screen Australia. Created by Shaun Micallef. Series Director Tony Jackson.
Written by Shaun Micallef and Anthony Griffis. Executive Producers Shaun Micallef, Paula Bycroft, Andrew Farrell and Michael Cordell. ABC Executive Producer Julie Hanna.
