With my visit to Stanford University yesterday, my tour across America has come to an end. It feels like I have discovered America for the second time with all its complexity, its contradictions as well as it's beauty.

In some ways it seems like I have made my peace with America. I understand its flaws and embrace all that is great about it. If I got a job here I think I could live in the US. But I know it's not perfect, especially the health care system in the US. I continue to hear horrific stories. Need i go any further?

It has been crazy here. I am just flying in and out of cities meet people quickly get really deep in conversation, get inspired, sleep 5 hours and onto the next city. But I know I can’t complain. I am lucky to be doing this. People really like the film and what's more they want to help spread the message about it and try to get the film to the President. Here is a pic after a screening at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. I will soon post some of the responses for the film…

I have been reading CIVILIZATION: the West and the Rest by FERGUSON just as I was arriving in Charleston South Carolina where MY AMERICA is going to be shown at the local film society screening. Ferguson writes about Charleston as one of the first towns to be settled by the British. Charleston is also a place where they used to sell slaves back in the old days. And today they are showing My America. Feeling little nervous about it but I am sure it will go well. Read the local reveiw about the film here and a Q&A with me here.

Wish me good luck! :)

Last night we screened the film at the American University. It was a great success and the questions people asked were very thought provoking. I sometimes think that I will just be asked the same questions over and over again at every screening but it is surprising what people can come up with. Some of the audience really pushed me to get in touch with famous people to push the film's agenda and try to get to the President. There is just so much work involved in something like this and I have been going with this film for 5 years so I am little tired but I don't want to give up

Today I made my way from Orlando to Washington. I caught a cab, then a plane. Then a bus and then two trains and then another bus. This took me three hours. After that I walked a block to the house where I am staying for three nights while showing MY AMERICA at the American University.

The day in more detail: it started out beautiful. I got up at 8:10 after a good 8 hour sleep. Then I went out for breakfast with Ted who runs the documentary course at Rollins College. Then I caught a cab to the airport and then the plane. I got the seat in the corner right at the back of the plane. So I was the last to get off. Have you been to Washington airport before? Well it’s like a city in itself. It took me about 30 minutes to get out only to find out that I just missed the bus…anyway I don’t want to bore you with this…it wasn’t pretty..

The screening of MY AMERICA is tomorrow. I am looking forward to it after a great screening in Orlando last night.

Both schools in LA were not only extremely well funded and equipped but the lecturers who teach there are filmmaking practitioners or made several films in the not so distant path AND had DIRECT contact to the industry.  Often it is this kind of experience that inspires and motivates students to go out there and do amazingly. As a side note: at both places the students and lecturers were really excited to receive me and hear what I had to say. It's nice to be valued.

There is a real connect between University and industry. No matter how poor the school is they still seem to connect with industry and make sure that the work of the students don't just sit on the shelves but that something happens to them. Whilst at Chapman students get to go to Africa to shoot their own doco at New Orleans University they connect them with nolavi.com which allows students to send their works out into cyber space other than youtube or vimeo. So really it is about getting the work of the students participate in the community and be useful in cultural debate. Here is documentary Laszlo Fulop who has been coordinating the New Orleans programme.

I can’t believe my time in Los Angeles is up. My America was shown at two major universities and both screenings were well attended. People always seem to come up with questions that haven't been asked before so it’s not just a matter of giving the same answer over and over again. Somebody asked last night 'what mistakes have I made making the film and have I learnt from them? Hmmm…it's always hard to talk about these things but so important if you want to make better films and I certainly intend to...

Being in America again feels different to all those times when I came to shoot the film and chased after the President. the next 2 weeks I think is going to be like looking into my own creation, facing and critically analysing the film with 100s of different people with 100s of different perspectives. One would think that I would feel uncofmfortable about it all but I am actually looking forward to it. I think I have built up some objectivity about the film, I guess that's what happens with time...anyway it's a wonderful opportunity.

I recently watched the Great dictator by Charlie Chaplin. Whant an amazing experience and what an amazing filmmaker. I think it’s a must see for everybody because it speaks about our times as well. Not just the 1940s. I wish I could meet Chaplin and just have a cup of tea with him. He is a filmmaker whose stories delight but probe so deeply that it educates, inspires and illuminates...please watch the film if you ever get a chance. Merry Xmas.

The last two months has been amazing for Soul Vision Films and (for me for that reason J) with MY AMERICA being released in Hungarian cinemas. I went over to Budapest to promote the film. It was wonderful to have the Australian Ambassador himself John Griffin launch the film in Budapest. He really loved MY AMERICA and so did most of the people who attended that night. Full house. It was a blast. The premiere was followed by interviews - for radio, TV and magazines. I feel very lucky to have had such a ride with this film so far. I also caught a train to Prague last week to discuss further promotion for the film. Our next target is the USA. I will keep you posted!

Both of my films MY AMERICA and THE TROUBLE WITH ST MARY'S got very positive response at the Brisbane Film Festival. All the sessions were almost sold out and despite that fact that one screening started almost 45 minutes late, people patiently waited to see the film. Thank you everyone!

Again another great reception for MY AMERICA. The cinema at the Canberra Film Festival was filled up only a few seats left. It was an amazing sight. I would neve have thought that this festival would have that kind of attendance. The questions at the end of the film were passionate and people really wanted to do something and asked if there would be a website available for people to leave messages for Obama and to leave their thoughts about America. Next day we did a “couch” session where I literally sat on the couch - yes a couch - and had to talk about my filmmaking style (my childhood!) and got asked some pretty thought provoking questions. It was all filmed so I will be posting it on the site for you to watch in case you are interested!

Going to the Global Peace Film Festival restored some optimism in my filmmaking and the way I approach future projects. It’s been the first international appearance of the MY AMERICA where I could be present . It’s funny how things come to you when you most need them. The time to think and the time to reflect has been a blessing. I go back to Australia probably just as tired as I left but I feel emotionally more tuned up if that makes sense. It’s really important once in a while to meet like minded people, and to know that the work you are doing resonates with others as well and not just with you and your family :). I remember hearing somebody say that it’s really bad how we have so many film festivals in the world, that "there are just too many" but I actually think that that’s good because we have a LOT more filmmakers as well. We need our work to be recognised and acknowledged once in a while...

On my flight to New Orleans I sat next to Johnny from Oklahoma - same age as me – who told me that “Afghanistan should have been turned into a parking lot just like Japan was at the end of the war”. I couldn’t wait to get off the flight but the funny thing is that after spending 1.5 hours with the guy on the plane, I realised there were many things we shared. I could tell he loved his kids very much and he cared about things I cared about. At the end of the flight he offered me m&ms. I shouldn’t have taken them. I got a stomach ache now.