Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission

Media Releases

AFC launches five new Indigenous Documentaries

19/2/2003

The Australian Film Commission (AFC) today launched Skin, Kin and Country: Stories from Black  Australia, five new documentaries directed by Indigenous filmmakers.

Skin, Kin and Country: Stories from Black Australia, Series 5 of the National Indigenous  Documentary Fund, was launched at the 2003 Australian International Documentary Conference in  Byron Bay. The series of 5 x 26 minute programs is an initiative of the Indigenous Unit of the AFC,  ATSIC, SBS Independent, NSW Film Television Office, South Australian Film Corporation and  ScreenWest. Supervising producer of the series is Cathy Eatock.

“The programs reveal the depth and maturity within Australia’s Indigenous documentary  filmmaking community across a diverse range of subject matters. They give Australians  considerable insight into contemporary Indigenous life in this country,” said Sally Riley, Manger of  the AFC’s Indigenous Unit.

Chairman Geoff Clark said ATSIC had been a proud financial supporter of the first five National  Indigenous Documentary Fund series which have helped launch the careers of key Indigenous  filmmakers including Ivan Sen and Mark Bin Baker and produced the popular Bush Mechanics  television series.

“Cinematographer Allan Collins and director Ivan Sen both picked up AFI Awards for the film  Beneath Clouds after working on NIDF projects and Rachel Perkins won an AFI award after being  the executive producer of NIDF series four,” he said.

Mr Clark said while ATSIC is proud of its substantial contribution to the funding of the NIDF, ATSIC  would also like to encourage other organisations in the private and public sectors to work in  partnerships to further develop Indigenous talent in film and television.

The five documentaries, which will screen this year on SBS Television, are:

The Foundation Writers Troy Russell and Melissa Abraham, director Troy Russell, producer Penny McDonald, and co-producer: Melissa Abraham.

The Foundation: a place in Sydney during the 60's where you could hang out. A place where you  were treated as an equal, in a society where everything was changing...rapidly.

Ngangkari Way Writer/director Erica Glynn, producer Will Rogers.

Ngangkari’s are traditional healers and Ngangkari Way is still very important to Anangu.

We of Little Voice Writer/director Peter Hodgson, producer: Heather Croall.

Having lived with the poison from atomic testing for decades the Indigenous people of northern  South Australia are now raising concerns about how uranium mining is affecting their bush tucker  and water supply sources.

Me and You Writer/director Mark Bin Bakar, producer Dot West.

Frank Shovellor and his fifteen year old daughter Leanna, have been entertaining people in the  Kimberley.

Big Girls Don’t Cry Writer/director Darrin Ballangarry, producer Priscilla Collins,

Indigenous people young and old living and coping with ever increasing incidence of kidney  disease.

Media enquiries: Tracey Mair Phillipa McDermott  TM Publicity NSW Communications For the Australian Film Commission ATSIC Ph: 0419 221 493 Ph: 0418467020

19 February, 2003





www.atsic.gov.au

