The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) will receive support from the Federal Government to work with an Indigenous filmmaker as part of the UK/Australia Season cultural exchange.
A $70,000 grant has been announced for the institution to commission a contemporary, digital work within the season theme of ‘Who are we now?’.
The NFSA will match the funding contribution with in-kind support of more than $100,000 and retain the work as part of their collection.
Tentatively titled Re/Vision, the project will see an Indigenous filmmaker collaborate with NFSA curatorial and technical experts to offer an interpretation of Australia’s audio-visual heritage to today’s audiences.
NFSA head of collection Jacqui Uhlmann told IF guidelines and invitations for EOIs would be published in the coming weeks.
“This is a unique opportunity for the NFSA – to open our digital collection, to commission a personal, inspiring, and potentially challenging creative work,” she said.
“We will showcase the work at national and international festivals and institutions, and preserve it for future generations as part of the national collection.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing what ideas will come our way.”
A collaboration between the British Council and the Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the UK/Australia season is designed to explore and celebrate the relationship between both countries across the arts, creative industries, and higher education.
The initiative will be held in the UK from August to November, and in Australia from September to March 2022.
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the NFSA’s collection would play a leading role in growing audiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.
“This important project explores new ways of interpreting the NFSA’s collection and Australian history in a contemporary and innovative way,” he said.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women Marise Payne said the government was focused on continuing to grow Indigenous cultural understanding through the UK/Australia Season, particularly at a time where international travel is not possible.
“This provides an opportunity to foster cultural understanding, locally and with international audiences, and encourage creativity and innovation through the use of digital technologies and collaboration,” she said.