Cinema-on-demand company The Solid State has once again teamed up with the Smith Family on Tales of the One in Ten – a series of short animated films that tell real-life stories of children living in disadvantage.
The series aims to raise awarenes of the 1 in 10 children estimated by the Australian Bureau of Statistics to be living in jobless families.
The latest and fourth film in the series, Steven & the Tightrope Walk, is the story of Steven Tu, a boy who was able to overcome financial hardship and finish year 12 with the support of The Smith Family.
The Solid State's Danny Lachevre, said the film captured the detrimental emotional effects of disadvantage on a child using some of the storytelling tools often found in fairy tales.
“These traditional stories have enormous impact and connect so powerfully,” said Lachevre.
“In the case of this film we were able to have Steven as the voiceover artist telling his story in his own words. That lends additional truth and authenticity to the film.”
“The struggles Steven was experiencing made him feel like he was walking on a tightrope – uncertain he would make it through school,” said the Smith Family's head of communications, Rhys Kelly.
The Smith Family’s focus is on breaking the cycle of poverty by helping young Australians in need access the tools and resources needed to succeed at school.
“The Tales of the One in Ten films shine the light on the negative impact that disadvantage can have on a child’s school years. They help us engage with the public on this important issue, primarily through social media,” said Kelly.
“Steven’s story is truly inspiring and shows the significant benefits that can be achieved when the community reaches out and invests in supporting the education of a disadvantaged child.”
Previous shorts in the Tales of the One in Ten series include Alice & the Giant Emptiness, David & The Big Heavy and Jess & The Mighty Journey.