About Us

Virgo Productions is an award-winning, boutique screen industries company. We specialise in feature documentaries that tell inspiring, positive, global stories with cross-platform delivery to engage audiences world-wide through cinema, television, online, mobile and DVD release.

Download CV

List of awards

Cathy Henkel has worked as a writer, producer and director of documentaries since 1988. Her television documentary debut was Heroes Of Our Time - the first inside look at Greenpeace during one of its dramatic 'direct action' campaigns. Her television credits include Walking Through a Minefield (1998), Losing Layla (2000), Spike Milligan: I Told You I was Ill (2005) and The Man Who Stole My Mother's Face (2004). The latter film - a very personal story about Cathy's search for justice for her mother who was brutally raped in South Africa - received much critical acclaim, including 'Best Documentary' awards at the Australian IF Awards and at New York's Tribeca Film Festival in 2004.

In 2007/8, Cathy wrote, directed, co-produced The Burning Season which was released across multiple platforms including in cinemas, festivals, television, DVD, and online via digital download. The film screened at the Brisbane International Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award, and the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. In 2008, it won the Australian IF Award for Best Documentary.

Cathy is currently in distribution and post-production on two films: an action adventure documentary about young people saving forests in Borneo called Rise of the Eco-Warriors (in post production), and a feature documentary about acclaimed cinematographer Don McAlpine called Show me the Magic. (currentl festival release in Australia, to be screened on STUDIO and ABC TV in 2013)

In 2009 Cathy was awarded Documentary Producer of the Year at Screen Producers Association of Australia for her work on The Burning Season.

Cathy has completed a MA and PhD at Queensland University of Technology on the development of screen industries in regional areas.

From Margins to Mainstream: PhD thesis (2010) Download here
Imagining the Future2: screen industry report (2006) Download here

Sam Weingott

Business Manager of Virgo Productions. Creating, financing, producing and marketing Virgo's slate of two feature documentaries, online and interactive content.

Sam is currently assisting in the development of our two major projects and manages the continued distribution of 'The Burning Season'.

Mark White Producer, Rise of the Eco-Warriors

Richard Hearman Producer, Rise of the Eco-Warriors