by FIlmInk Staff
It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Bobbi-Lea Dionysius, an extraordinary creative and impact producer, educator, advocate, and leader whose impact on the Australian screen industry will be felt for generations to come.
Bobbi-Lea was Co-Chair of Women in Film & Television Australia and spent many years chairing and co-representing the Queensland Chapter of Women in Film & Television Australia. She was a fierce and unwavering supporter of WIFT, always leading with action, generosity, and genuine care for the people around her.
Most recently, Bobbi-Lea was deeply involved in supporting regional creatives through the WIFT national initiative Post Code Doesn’t Matter, working alongside co-chair Annisa Belonogoff on a program she cared for immensely. It was a project close to her heart, helping regional creatives connect themselves to the film and television industry no matter where they were based. Having grown up in Mackay, Bobbi-Lea understood firsthand how vital accessibility, opportunity, and genuine industry pathways were for regional practitioners. That understanding echoed throughout her career and sat at the core of her work as both a leader and an impact producer.
On Friday afternoon, 15 May, we lost Bobbi-Lea to her battle with cancer. She was surrounded by family, close friends, and an incredible amount of love and support.
Bobbi-Lea was a force of nature. An award-winning creative and impact producer, she dedicated her career to telling stories that mattered, championing social-issue documentaries, factual content, and immersive 360-degree VR experiences that created meaningful change. Her work reached audiences across cinema, broadcast television, international film festivals, museums, and educational institutions, always driven by a belief that storytelling could move people, challenge systems, and create lasting social impact.
Her producing credits reflected both excellence and purpose. From the theatrical feature documentaries To Never Forget and In Their Name, to the internationally recognised immersive work Sorella’s Story, which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, Bobbi-Lea consistently pushed the boundaries of storytelling across platforms. She also led impact campaigns for projects such as FLYWAYS: The Untold Story of Migratory Shorebirds, helping bring vital conversations to audiences nationwide through theatrical tours and Q&A screenings. Her work on films including Kidnapped and This Little Love of Mine further demonstrated her sharp instincts for audience connection and distribution.
Beyond her producing work, Bobbi-Lea was deeply committed to education and mentorship. As a lecturer at JMC Academy, a sessional lecturer at Griffith Film School, and a supervising producer and director for LiveLab projects, she invested her time generously in the next generation of filmmakers. She believed fiercely in creating pathways for others and understood that real leadership meant lifting people as you climbed.
Her advocacy for women in the screen industry was unwavering. As Chair of the Queensland Chapter of WIFT Australia and Queensland representative on the national board, Bobbi-Lea was a passionate and powerful voice for gender equity, inclusion, and opportunity. She also served as Festival Director of WIFT’s V-FEST, creating visibility and celebration for women filmmakers and their stories.
Her achievements were many and well deserved. She was the first Australian recipient of the John Darling Fellowship, completing a seven-week research placement in Indonesia with impact media NGO EngageMedia, focused on impact producing. She was also a three-time Golden Key Honour Scholar and recipient of the LiveLab Award for academic excellence during her Masters studies at Griffith Film School.
But beyond the accolades, Bobbi-Lea will be remembered for who she was: generous, intelligent, fiercely driven, and deeply compassionate. She cared about people. She cared about stories. She cared about making this industry better than she found it.
She was the kind of person who made people feel capable. She created space for others to grow, and she did it without needing applause. She simply believed it was the right thing to do.
Her loss is profound. The Queensland and Australian screen communities have lost not only an exceptional producer and leader, but a friend, mentor, and champion.
We send our deepest condolences to Bobbi-Lea’s family, her close friends, and her many colleagues across the screen industry during this incredibly difficult time. Bobbi-Lea’s legacy will live on in the work she created, the people she mentored, and the many lives she changed through her generosity, vision, and courage.
She will be deeply missed and never forgotten.
A memorial to honour Bobbi-Lea’s life and legacy will be held in the coming weeks. All details will be provided through WIFT Australia communications.
