[1] National Trustees agreed to act as investor representatives for Touch the Sun in 1986 and the series was offered to the Australian Television networks for telecast in 1988.
[1] The six telemovies (each of 95 minutes' duration) deal with issues important to children: adoption, multiculturalism, country life, fame, running away and deafness.
The series was aimed at reflecting contemporary issues for Australian children by touching upon the critical nature of early adolescence, how to overcome obstacles faced during this time and what it means to look towards the future at this young stage of life.
(South Australia) Johnno is a deaf ten year old boy with good intentions who lives in Streeton, a small fishing town, during the 1950s.
Captain Johnno, one of the six films in the Touch the Sun series, was entered in the Children's and Young People's Section of the Awards which are presented by the International Council of the American National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences.
[2] Attending the screening were: Dr Patricia Edgar; Graeme Foster, the Tasmanian representative on the ACTF Board; director, Esben Storm; the child stars of the film, Alexander Jacobs, Cameron Atkins, Jane McArthur and Emma Pugh; crew members, educationalists; and the media.
(Victoria and Western Australia) Nicos and Sofia Georgialis are Greek-Australian siblings who live in a comfortable inner-city suburb and win the first prize in a national lottery.
Sofia and their dad, Con, want to sell the land to purchase a new modern house for them all outside of the city, while Nicos and their mum, Helen, don't want to leave their current cozy home.
Christos and the kids return to the hotel they are staying at in Perth and it is here that Sofia makes her decision with Nicos to tear up the agreement they had with the timber company because cutting down the trees on the land will get rid of the safety and seclusion that Vera and George have and need.
Over the telephone Sofia confronts her father, but she gets nowhere, so she and Nicos must convince their grandfather to overcome his fear of flying in order to catch a plane to Melbourne in time to save their home.
The next day when Kate returns home, she starts to understand that she has put an enormous amount of strain on her adoptive parents and she reassures them that her quest is over and that she has no intention of leaving them.
Kate learns to value relationships over material possessions and suggests to her dad that they sell her new yacht in order to help solve the family's financial crisis.
Meanwhile, Alice gets approached by a policeman and because she's worried about the consequences of her earlier actions she jumps into her mum's Moke that happens to be parked outside the police station and starts to drive out of Katherine.
Mick discovers that his knowledge of the desert isn't quite what he thought it was, and the two of them are in fact lost and in quite a dangerous predicament where dehydration and sunstroke start taking their toll.
By now Jack knows he's on the right track and races on, but in the heat of it all he rounds a crest at top speed just before he spots Alice and Mick and ends up having to swerve to avoid hitting them, which results in him crashing the car.
The Foundation held a screening of the subtitled version of Captain Johnno at the Theatre of the Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney on 28 November 1988.
On Thursday 3 May 1990 the Foundation, in conjunction with the Young Variety Club of Western Australia, held a screening for deaf children of the subtitled version of Captain Johnno in Perth.
Captain Johnno, a telemovie from the Touch the Sun series was awarded First prize in the Children’s and Young people’s Section at a Gala Dinner in New York.
Devil's Hill, Princess Kate and Captain Johnno of the Touch the Sun series were screened at the First International Festival for Children held in Sofia, Bulgaria from 14–22 July 1988.
At the Chicago International Festival of Children’s Films held from 14–23 October 1988, Devil's Hill was awarded First Prize for Live Action in the feature length Video Section.
Touch the Sun won the award for best Australian produced television series presented in Grenfell, New South Wales, on 10 June 1989 as part of the town's Queen’s Birthday weekend Henry Lawson Festival of Arts.
Captain Johnno and Princess Kate screened at this Festival held in Amsterdam from 11–18 October 1989, at the request of The Netherlands Children’s Youth Film Centre.
On 7 December 1989, at an evening hosted by Sir Richard Attenborough, the Institute presented extracts of the film at a debate on access to the cinema for the deaf and hearing impaired.
Echo Bridge Entertainment once offered Devils Hill, Captain Johnno and The Journey on one disk, and The Gift, Top Enders and Peter and Pompey as part of a two-disk compilation with Rabbit Proof Fence and Secret of the Andes on the other.
Inverell Times, NSW, 31 March 1988 'Touch the Sun shows a different short story for children each week full of fun, adventure, mystery and plenty of thrills….
Central Western Daily, Orange, NSW, 8 April 1988 'I would not mind doubling my money to 16 cents a day to see a few more of these quality movies which have been so beautifully filmed and scripted.'
Daily News, Perth, 22 April 1988 'The Touch the Sun series began in March and has provided six top-rate shows aimed at families and kids.'
News Mail, Bundaberg, Queensland, 30 April 1988 'The kids will love it (Peter & Pompey), the camera work is a treat, and the performances are eminently watchable.'
The Sunday Observer, Melbourne, 27 March 1988 'The first of six telemovies, Peter & Pompey, showed clearly that the ability to make decent family entertainment has not been lost … Enchanting.
Townsville Bulletin, Queensland, 29 March 1988 'Princess Kate, well produced and scripted is filled with lovely moments that will touch a nerve in many viewers' The Sun-Herald, Sydney, 3 April 1988