Landmark Sydney to Hobart Documentary True South Is Coming To Aussie Cinemas Soon

Oh, we do love keeping an eye out for a good doco. And when we find one worth watching, we like to spread the word (we’re good to you like that, right?).

True South is a brand-new Australian documentary that marks an astonishing 80 years of the iconic Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Filmed 25 years after the darkest chapter in the race’s history—when six sailors lost their lives in 1998. It explores family, grief, friendship, and endurance through the perspective of Sydney to Hobart legends, the Wining and Dean families.

What Is The Documentary True South About?

If you’re unfamiliar with the Sydney to Hobart Race, it’s a multi-day ocean yacht race that takes seasoned sailors through one of the world’s most treacherous bodies of water (aka the Bass Strait) and down towards Tasmania. In the wrong conditions, volatile weather systems can quickly turn an elite and highly celebrated sailing race into a brutal fight for survival. And this documentary really doesn’t shy away from that. 

Centred around lifelong friends Herman Winning, Nathan Dean, and Peter Dean, True South explores how the tragic events of the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race unfolded, along with the huge impact the ordeal had on both families. And if that wasn’t enough to tug at your heartstrings, it then follows the three friends as they return to race together, 25 years after ferocious 90-foot seas took the lives of those they loved.

The trailer’s giving us action, emotion, grief, bravery, and a sneaky suspicion we may need to pack some tissues…

Who Created The Documentary?

True South was directed by Dave Klaiber and created and produced by Will Alexander, a close childhood friend of both the Winning and Dean families. So you know this one is told with love, authenticity, and a deep knowledge of the subject matter. The film is narrated by iconic Aussie actress Sigrid Thornton, with an original score by Elena Kats-Chernin.

Where And When Can I Watch True South?

True South will be released in cinemas across Australia on March 5 2026. In the meantime, you can check out the trailer here.