The Pool | Film

Film Crew

Director and Producer
Ian Darling

Ian Darling is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with Shark Island Productions. He is Executive Director of Shark Island Institute and Chair of Shark Island Foundation.

He received the Byron Kennedy Award for innovation and the relentless pursuit of excellence at the 2018 AACTA Awards. Ian received the AFI/AACTA Award for Best Direction in a Documentary, has twice been a Walkley Awards Finalist, a winner of two Film Critics Award, and nominated for numerous Australian Directors Guild, Producers Guild, and AFI/AACTA awards.

His Director and Producer credits include THE POOL, THE FINAL QUARTER, PAUL KELLY: STORIES OF ME, THE OASIS, SUZY & THE SIMPLE MAN, IN THE COMPANY OF ACTORS, ALONE ACROSS AUSTRALIA, WOODSTOCK FOR CAPITALISTS and POLLY & ME. He was also a Producer for THE DEPARTMENT and LIFE AFTER THE OASIS and an Executive Producer of FLY, PAPER AND GLUE, ALLEN V. FARROW, ON THE RECORD, THE FOURTH ESTATE, THE BLEEDING EDGE, UNREST, INVENTING TOMORROW, HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, 2040 and WASH MY SOUL IN THE RIVER’S FLOW.

Ian Darling is currently directing and producing the feature documentary THE VALLEY (in production).

He co-wrote and acted in the award-winning play THE TWINS, a two-hander with comedian Greg Fleet. In 2021 the play was performed over 75 shows in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Kangaroo Valley. His photographs have been finalists in the National Photographic Portrait Prize, the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, the Sydney Life Photography Prize and the Head On Portrait Prize.

Ian Darling was Founder and is current Patron of Documentary Australia, and Founder of Good Pitch Australia. He is a Member of the Impact Partners Advisory Board in New York, was a former Chair of Sydney Theatre Company and STC Foundation, and a Director of National Institute of Dramatic Art.