The Prime Minister Is Missing

With Australia at war in Vietnam in 1967, suddenly Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared without a trace—an event unparalleled in the history of western democracy. Four decades later, a coronial inquiry confirmed that Harold Holt had accidentally drowned. Some people may still believe that Holt was a spy and fled to China in a submarine. But most suspect there was more to his disappearance than has ever been revealed. Reconstructed from eyewitness accounts, this dramatised documentary tells the story of the Prime Minister's secret world in the months before he disappeared — a world of betrayal, blackmail, political treachery, a poisonous feud, mounting physical and mental strain, and near-death experiences. Featuring Normie Rowe as Harold Holt, Nicholas Hope as William McMahon and Tony Llewellyn-Jones as John McEwen, this film reveals explosive new aspects of the case.

Directed by Peter Butt, The Prime Minister Is Missing leans on a strong ensemble — Helen Morse, Normie Rowe, Nicholas Hope — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2008.