L-R: Warwick Thornton, Beck Cole, Thibul Nettle, Natasha Wanganeen, Isaac Lindsey, Tess O'Flaherty, Edoardo Crismani, Kiara Milera, Georgia Humphreys, Dylan Coleman and Garth Agius.
Five aboriginal filmmakers from SA will receive $20,000 each to make a short, along with mentoring and professional development from industry figures.
Edoardo Crismani, Isaac Lindsay, Kiara Milera, Thibul Nettle and Dylan Coleman will all receive funding and support as part of the new SAFC Aboriginal Short Film Initiative.
The five selected filmmakers plus another five are this week participating in an intensive 5-day Production and Development Workshop at SAFC’s Adelaide Studios. They are joined by three non-indigenous emerging producers who will be partnering on three of the projects.
The workshop is being led by writer-directors Beck Cole (Here I Am) and Warwick Thornton (Samson and Delilah).
Other guest lecturers at the workshop include film editor Tania Nehme (Tanna, Charlie’s Country), and cinematographer Allan Collins (Mad Bastards, Beneath Clouds) as well as Screen Australia’s Development Executive Louise Gough.
SAFC Chief Executive Annabelle Sheehan said the initiatives would harness the significant creative talents of South Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers.
“For several decades, Australian indigenous filmmakers have made extraordinary work which has been celebrated globally. This workshop marks the start of a new wave of aboriginal filmmakers, and it’s coming from South Australia."We look forward to seeing the depth of creative strengths of these five films and this group of filmmakers.”
SAFC’s Aboriginal Strategy Executive Lee-Ann Tjunypa Buckskin said the initiative would provide participants with significant career progression opportunities.
“They will receive mentoring and support from some of the best in the industry to help them to develop their own stories and realise their vision for the projects, said Ms Tjunypa Buckskin.
“The initiative will also help build networks and relationships between the filmmakers so they’re able to support each other in developing their projects.
“Opportunities will be explored for potential screening partnerships with a broadcaster or digital platform.”
The SAFC Aboriginal Short Film Initiative is the third new production initiative launched or delivered under South Australian Film Corporation’s Aboriginal Screen Strategy 2015-2020. The Strategy aims to support ambitious screen projects by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers by growing investment, increasing production, providing professional development and mentoring for filmmakers, and building valuable industry partnerships.