Kieran Satour and Tyson Perkins Discuss Facing The Numbers

Australian filmmakers Kieran Satour and Tyson Perkins have outlined international and digital release plans for their First Nations hybrid documentary Facing The Numbers, in a Deadline interview published on 13 November 2026. Co-written and co-directed by the pair, the six-part anthology examines systemic legal and social inequalities facing First Nations communities in Australia through personal testimony, dance, poetry and spoken word. Following festival screenings in Melbourne and Darwin and a Sydney Opera House premiere, the film airs on Australia's NITV on 15 November 2026 before an eventual online rollout. For viewers in Malaysia, cinema dates, LPF classification and regional streaming distribution remain unconfirmed, though the planned microsite and social media release could offer future access.

Key Facts

Facing The Numbers is a feature-length Australian documentary structured as a six-part anthology from co-writers and co-directors Kieran Satour and Tyson Perkins. The film premieres on Australia's NITV broadcast network on 15 November 2026 following its festival debut at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Only details verified in the source are listed below.

What Is Facing The Numbers About and How Was It Made?

Facing The Numbers documents the disadvantages First Nations people face across Australia's justice, child protection, health, housing and education systems. Rather than relying on conventional talking-head interviews, Satour and Perkins combine first-hand accounts from Aboriginal participants with dance, poetry and spoken word in six interconnected chapters.

According to figures cited in the report, First Nations people represent around 3.3% of Australia's general population while accounting for 37% of its prison population. Perkins said the project began as a short-form response to the Black Lives Matter movement, aiming to capture the emotional reality of police brutality, youth incarceration, male suicide and deaths in custody. Participants include Geoffrey Johnson, identified through online testimony after George Floyd's murder, and Uncle Widdy, whose story addresses Kinchela Boys' Home.

Satour noted that the production initially secured backing through a now-discontinued Screen Australia digital-series fund before expanding into a feature anthology to unlock a tax offset, national broadcasting support, a broadcaster pre-sale and philanthropic funding. Both filmmakers cited Steve McQueen's Small Axe, Spike Lee and Khalil Joseph as creative reference points.

How Has Facing The Numbers Performed in Australia So Far?

Facing The Numbers drew strong audience engagement during its Australian festival run ahead of its 15 November 2026 television broadcast on NITV. At its Melbourne International Film Festival premiere, both screenings sold around 75% of available tickets and received standing ovations, alongside four-star-plus user reviews on Letterboxd.

The documentary subsequently screened at the Darwin International Film Festival and along the wider Australian festival circuit, leading up to a premiere at the Sydney Opera House. After its NITV broadcast on 15 November 2026 and the expiry of television holdback periods, the six segments will be repackaged for social platforms and released via an online microsite. Common Ground, an Aboriginal-led education organisation, is managing the accompanying impact campaign to reach younger audiences outside traditional festival and broadcast spaces.

What It Means for Viewers in Malaysia

Malaysian cinema release dates, LPF classifications and local streaming availability for Facing The Numbers have not been confirmed. Neither the filmmakers nor Australian broadcaster NITV have announced screenings at GSC, TGV, MBO or LFS, or licensing on Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video, HBO Max, Viu, iQIYI or Astro.

Satour confirmed that the team is still awaiting confirmation on where the documentary's international premiere will take place. Viewers in Malaysia seeking legal access will need to wait for international distribution announcements or the post-broadcast digital microsite rollout. Whether the online microsite and social media release will be geo-restricted outside Australia has not yet been disclosed.

Common Questions

When and where is Facing The Numbers releasing first?

Following premieres at the Melbourne International Film Festival, Darwin International Film Festival and the Sydney Opera House, Facing The Numbers airs on Australia's NITV network under SBS on 15 November 2026. A social media and microsite release will follow after television broadcast holdbacks expire.

Who directed and produced Facing The Numbers?

Kieran Satour and Tyson Perkins co-wrote and co-directed the six-part anthology documentary, with Perkins also serving as director of photography. Satour produced the project alongside Ramona Telecican, with backing from Screen Australia's former digital-series fund, broadcasting funds, a pre-sale and philanthropic support.

Is Facing The Numbers available to watch in Malaysia?

No Malaysian theatrical release date, LPF age rating or local streaming platform has been confirmed for Facing The Numbers. International premiere details have not been announced, so Malaysian audiences cannot yet stream or watch the documentary through local cinemas or regional subscription services.

Sources and Methodology

This dispatch is based on Zac Ntim's interview report published by Deadline on 13 November 2026 (https://deadline.com/2026/11/facing-the-numbers-kieran-satour-tyson-perkins-first-nation-1237222628/), checked on 13 November 2026. No production budget or box office figures were disclosed in the primary source, so no Malaysian ringgit currency conversions have been applied.