Bello filmmaker’s journey from network TV to exploring alternatives to capitalism

“Why are we, as a society, not collectively happier?”

This is the simple question that sparked an eight-nation odyssey for Bellingen filmmaker Kane Guglielmi, on a mission to explore alternatives to the globe’s established economic and political models. 

The result is a 2026 documentary titled “Common Wealth”, screening in Bellingen on Thursday evening in the midst of a roughly 40-city tour of Australia and New Zealand. 

A filmmaker’s life: Guglielmi - who describes being raised within a “conservative, capitalist worldview” - dropped out of high school with dreams of becoming a self-employed filmmaker.

By the age of 23 he was directing episodes of Home and Away.

He soon became disillusioned however, with network TV and a media landscape that “thrives off enraging and putting fear in people”.

It was an experience that continues to inform his creative practice. 

• “I had a production company that was creating commercials for big brands. I had a bit of an awakening and I didn't want to participate in it anymore,” Guglielmi told the Mid North Coaster.
  
  “I feel a bit the same about network TV; about being a cog in this big machine that's often not really geared to make people's lives any better.”

Accidental documentarian: Despite always being curious about the way the world worked, Guglielmi said he held little interest in making a documentary until the Common Wealth project emerged.

• “This subject matter came along at the right time in my life, and I had lots of questions,” he said.

Those questions led to conversations about everything from housing affordability and mental health to political reform and the generation of shared wealth from natural resources.

Learning opportunity: Guglielmi travelled through Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Mexico, Singapore, the UK, Italy and the USA for the film, having conversations that highlighted the shared nature of the human experience.

• “The byproduct of the journey made me realise how much we all have in common with each other, no matter where we are on Earth and no matter where we stand politically,” he said.
  
  “When you boil it down to the most basic essentials and the things that give us a sense of joy and fulfillment in our lives, the vast majority of stuff we all have in common with each other.”

Perfect timing: The filmmaker, who moved to Bellingen with his family five years ago, said the timing of the film’s release was apt.

• “Had the film been released two years ago, when I thought it would, I don't think it would have landed quite the way it has,” he said.
  
  “Most people, no matter where they stand on the political spectrum, are frustrated by the way things are and want some form of change.” 

Where to watch?: Common Wealth will be screened for a second time at the Bellingen Memorial Hall on Thursday evening, with a further screening to be announced for the Jetty Theatre in Coffs Harbour.