Screen Australia’s First Nations Department and Network 10 have chosen the eight short documentary projects to head into development as part of their First Facts: First Nations Factual Showcase initiative.
The teams will receive $5,000 to take the next steps with their concepts and prepare a pitch for a panel of industry professionals, with six teams to receive up to $70,000 of production funding to make their 10-minute documentary for 10 Play and Network 10’s social media channels.
It comes after the recipients attended a workshop last week to develop their ideas, taking part in sessions with guest speakers including Rachel Perkins, Allan Clarke, and Narelda Jacobs.
Screen Australia’s head of First Nations Angela Bates said she was excited to support the teams in making their documentary projects come to life.
“The First Facts initiative is a fantastic platform for First Nations creators to build their skills, showcase their distinctive voice as storytellers, as well as develop their careers and share their authentic Australian stories to Network 10’s audience,” she said.
Paramount ANZ senior vice president for content and programming Daniel Monaghan said the projects were “an incredible collection of unique and creative ideas that explore and amplify a broad range of perspectives and stories”.
“Their vision and resonance are captivating, and we’re proud to be partnering in this initiative to bring compelling stories which will undoubtedly inspire and connect with audiences on 10 Play,” he said.
The projects funded for development are:
Anangu Way: Through his father teaching him how to make a woomera, a Noongar & Spinifex man reconnects with family and culture in Tjuntjuntjara, a remote community in the Great Victoria Desert.
Team: Tace Stevens, Brooke Collard.
Burabura: A love letter to the Australian bush that captures the essence of its beauty and serenity in every frame, reminding us that sometimes, the greatest adventures are the ones that take us back to our roots.
Team: Tyson Mowarin, Robyn Marais.
Croker (working title): Iwaidja is one of the world’s oldest languages, spoken by the Iwaidja of Croker Island. With about only 150 speakers left, time is running out to preserve the language. Team: Cian Mungatj McCue, Tommy Lawrence.
Firekeepers “Flames of Renewal: Fighting for Cultural Survival”: Against the backdrop of increasing wildfires and climate change, a First Nations community embarks on a journey to restore traditional cultural burning practices, fighting to preserve their ancestral knowledge and protect their land.
Team: Jack Steele, Kieran Satour, Genevieve Grieves, Andrea Distefano.
Joonba: Songs gifted through dreams and maintained over generations inspire three young children to dance.
Team: Marlikka Perdrisat, Damon Gameau, Anna Kaplan, Jayde Harding.
Life After Footy: From the mountain peak of professional Australian sport to the reality of life after, this documentary follows Indigenous dual premiership AFL player Lewis Jetta on what it’s like to ride the wave of professional sport and continue living life the best way he can.
Team: Daniel Riches, Luke Riches.
(Re)imagining Our Futures: This documentary follows the journey of Nyikina & Jabirr Jabirr woman, Kalinda Palmer, guided by her Elders to dream up a future for herself, her son, family, and community.
Team: Kimberley Benjamin, Shari Hutchison.
Star of Taroom: This is a tale about the return of the Star of Taroom – a rock taken from Iman country 50 years ago. Told by an Iman elder lit by campfire light, this documentary portrays the importance of the stone and how its return is strangely healing a community haunted by a dark past.
Team: Kat Dingwall, Dena Curtis.
First Facts is supported by Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory, Screenwest, the South Australian Film Corporation, and VicScreen.