Indigenous Screen Australia submission
to the
Department of Communications Information Technology and the
Arts
Review of Government support for funding films.
This submission has been prepared by Indigenous Screen Australia (ISA) on
behalf of its members, which includes more than sixty Indigenous film &
television practitioners and media organisations nationwide. ISA is also a
member organisation of the consortium that comprises the Australian Indigenous
Communications Association (AICA) and National Indigenous Television (NITV).
This submission provides responses to limited issues which the Government
seeks comment on. On the broader issues of increased indirect support, ISA
welcomes any strategies that assist in injecting increased investment into the
Australian industry. Other industry organisations will comment on these
questions at length. ISA has chosen to comment specifically on mechanisms of
direct government support, specifically in regard to Indigenous programs.
Comment is sought on;
•
whether the current Government objectives for the film sector are appropriate;
ISA believes direct Government support for Australia’s audiovisual industries,
through financial support and regulation, should continue to deliver cultural
outcomes, to ensure Australian stories are delivered to local and global
audiences.
Film and television is the most powerful media available and it has a pervasive
influence in reflecting and transmitting culture to wide audiences. To maintain
and transmit Australian culture, Australian film and television content must be
available to Australian audiences. Australian film and television programs also
play a critical role in transmitting and promoting Australian culture overseas.
There are many cultures and communities that combine to form what we broadly
call Australian culture. In recent times it is has been recognised that Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander cultures should be specifically acknowledged for their
unique status as Australia’s first cultures.
Within the government objective of supporting the film and television industry to
deliver cultural outcomes, it follows that special consideration should also be
given in delivering Indigenous content, as well as broader Australian content.
In the last ten years we have witnessed highly successful results from direct
government support for Indigenous content. Evidence of this success can be
measured in two ways. Firstly, the extraordinary demand for Indigenous films by
overseas audiences, specifically international film festivals and secondly, the
overwhelming critical success of Indigenous films, relative to the number
produced (see appendix 1).
The additional benefits of specific support for the Indigenous film and television
industry have delivered increased employment opportunities and developed a
viable niche industry within Indigenous communities.
•
the areas where Government support is most needed or appropriate;
•
whether different mechanisms are needed for productions supported solely for
cultural or national significance reasons, compared to projects with higher
commercial potential;
Direct support for Indigenous production and professional development is
appropriate and critical for two reasons.
The film and television industry, like most industries, is an industry that has
historically had minimal participation by Indigenous Australians. To illustrate; of
the 600 or so Australian features produced, only five have been created by
Indigenous people and only in the last twenty years. The burgeoning Indigenous
film and television industry is in its infancy and arguably requires direct and
strategic support to ensure its continued growth.
Secondly, although Indigenous productions are culturally significant and
demonstrably critically successful, they are considered difficult to commercially
finance. Furthermore, Indigenous film and television productions have not been,
to date, commercially successful in the mainstream broadcast and exhibition
environment. This means Indigenous production is unlikely to secure private
sector investment that seeks an assured financial return.
For the above reasons direct government support is fundamental in developing
Indigenous practitioners and supporting their film and television productions to
deliver the governments cultural outcomes.
•
whether current agency functions and structures are appropriate;
•
the best way to maintain overall consistency in Government support programs with
the general principles outlined above.
Indigenous Screen Australia welcomes the changes that have occurred in the
federal film funding agencies in recent times, in acknowledging Indigenous
cultural content as fundamental to the delivery of cultural and economic
outcomes.
Arguably the two organisations that have most substantially supported
Indigenous economic and cultural outcomes are the AFC and the AFTRS.
The Australian Film Commission
●
The AFC Indigenous Unit has been instrumental in the professional
development of Indigenous practitioners and the creation of a critically
successful slate of film and television. These works include the features
‘Beneath Clouds’, ‘Radiance’ and ‘One Night The Moon’, short films such
as ‘Green Bush’ ‘Tears’ and documentaries such as ‘Bush Mechanics’ and
‘Yellow Fella’. Programs also include important exhibition opportunities of
Indigenous works under the ‘Blackscreen’ initiative.
●
With the recent merging of the AFC with the NFSA, an Indigenous Unit
has been established within the NFSA. The Indigenous industry welcomes
this positive development. It is anticipated that the establishment of this
unit will deliver similarly successful outcomes as those achieved at the
AFC, but in the preservation and management of Indigenous cultural
materials.
AFTRS
●
The AFTRS also has a targeted strategy aimed specifically at developing
Indigenous practitioners who are becoming well known in the industry,
such as Ivan Sen. The AFTRS offers two scholarships annually with
private sector support. Most leading Indigenous film practitioners have
been beneficiaries of this scheme and have gone onto achieve success in
their ongoing careers.
The FFC
●
The Film Finance Corporation with its commercial focus, has had less
emphasis on supporting Indigenous film. Indeed some sectors of the
industry have lobbied against targeted support of Indigenous production
via the FFC. Despite this, and thanks to a new management team in
recent times, Indigenous people are now accessing direct government
support from the FFC through the National Indigenous Documentary fund
and other one off projects. The Indigenous sector welcomes this new
approach at the FFC in recognising Indigenous culture as part of
Australian culture.
Film Australia
●
Film Australia is active in the distribution of Indigenous programs which do
better for them than any other titles within the educational market. It has
produced some Indigenous created productions, but, as far as ISA is
aware, FA has no particular focus or strategy in place for Indigenous
production within the NIP.
ACTF
●
ISA is unaware of any policy or strategy within the ACTF which
encourages Indigenous Australian industry participation.
ISA is cognisant of proposals for a ‘super agency’ which might combine some of
the above organisations.
It could be argued that a super agency may deliver a more coherent
Indigenous industry wide strategy. However, a combined organisation may risk
undoing the experience and corporate knowledge that has been accumulated
during the last ten years in delivering Indigenous programs.
Indigenous Screen Australia asks that careful consideration be given of a
merger which may result in one ‘organisational culture’ dominating another.
ISA suggests that it would be preferable for each of the government agencies to
be asked to adopt specific strategies to support Indigenous practitioners and
their productions, as a fundamental tier of its cultural objectives. We ask that
the agencies be asked to annually report on their strategies.
APPENDIX 1
Plains Empty
Sundance Film Festival, Sami Film Festival, Norway
Arizona International Film Festival, USA Isfahan International Short Film Festival, Iran, Message Sticks Film Festival,
Wairoa Maori Film Festival, NZ, Colourised Festival, Queensland, Salento International Film Festival, Italy, Bend Film Festival, Oregan, USA,
All Roads National Geographic Film Festival, LA & Washington Hawaii International Film Festival
Uppsala International Short Film Festival ImagineNative Film Festival
Damascus International Film Festival, Syria Green Bush
• Sundance Film Festival, USA, Jan 05
• Berlin International Film Festival: Winner Best Short, Panorama, Germany, Feb • Longbaugh Film Festival, Portland USA, Mar
• Sami Film Festival, Norway, Mar
• Arizona International Film Festival, USA, Apr • Nashville Film Festival, USA, Apr
• Australian Film Festival in Israel, Jun
• Kracow Film Festival, Special Screening, Poland, Jun • Heard Museum Film Festival, Arizona, USA, Jun
• International Hamburg Short Film Festival, Germany, Jun • Provincetown International Film Festival, USA, Jun • Short Film Festival Madrid, Spain, Jun
• Sydney Film Festival, Retrospective, Jun
• Dendy Awards – Sydney Film Festival – Winner Best Fiction Over 15 Minutes and Rouben Mamoulian Award
• Tabor Film Festival, Croatia, Jun • Wairoa Maori Film Festival, NZ, Jun
• Wordstorm – NT Writer’s Festival, Darwin, Jun • NAIDOC Festival, National Museum of Australia, Jun
• Curtas Vila do Conde International Film Festival, Portugal, Jul • Colourised Festival, Queensland, Jul
• National Museum NAIDOC Week Celebrations, Canberra, Jul • Short Black Films, NAIDOC Week Celebrations, Sydney, Jul • New Zealand Film Festival, Jul/Aug
• Edinburgh International Film Festival, Aug • Silhouette Short Film Festival, Paris, Aug • Garma Festival, Gulkula, NT, Aug
• Abuja International Film Festival, Nigeria, Sept • Indigenous Film Festival, Queensland, Sept • Salento International Film Festival, Italy, Sept • Bend Film Festival, Oregan, USA, Sept
• Calgary International Film Festival, Canada, Sept • International Short Film Festival in Drama, Greece, Sept • Silhouette Film Festival, France, Sept
• All Roads National Geographic Film Festival, LA & Washington, Sept/Oct
• International Cherokee Film Festival, Oct. Warwick Thornton - Most Originality in a Short, Green Bush - Best Short, David Page - Best Actor in a Short
• Aarhus Film Festival, Denmark, Oct • ImagineNative Film Festival, Canada, Oct • Damascus International Film Festival, Syria, Nov • exground filmfest, Germany, Nov
• London International Film Festival, Nov • Resfest Digital Film Festival, Korea, Nov
• DaKINO Film Festival Romania – Roumanian Critics Jury Honour Award • Nominated Best Short Film Film Critics Circle of Australia
• Australia, Lexus IF Awards Best Short Film, Nov • Santa Fe Film Festival – All Roads program, Dec • International Film Festival Kerala, India, Dec • Flickerfest, Australia, Jan
The Djarn Djarns
Berlin International Film Festival - Crystal Bear – Best Short Film
The Deadly’s - Outstanding Achievement in Film & Television – Wayne Blair Flickerfest - Best Achievement in an Original Screenplay
My Brother Vinnie
Melbourne International Film Festival – Best Documentary Wirriya: small boy
WOW International Film Festival - Best Australian Film Award – Beck Cole Sydney Film Festival
Rosie
Australian Teachers On Media Awards - Best Short Documentary Yellow Fella
Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard) Melbourne Int Film Festvial
Sydney Int Film Festival The Dream of Love
Melbourne International Film Festival Turn Around
Aspen Shortsfest - In competition Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival
Flickerfest - Highly Commended Screenplay International Film Festival Rotterdam Sundance Film Festival (Native Forum) Flat
Edinburgh International Film Festival International Film Festival Rotterdam Sundance Film Festival (Native Forum) Broadcasted on SBS
Black Talk
Hawaii International Film Festival
St Kilda Film Festival - Best Achievement with an Original Screenplay Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films, First Prize (Fiction under 15 min) In the Bin Film Festival - Best Sound
International Film Festival Rotterdam
Fitzroy Shorts - Punters Choice Award for June Shit Skin
International Film Festival Rotterdam Sundance Film Festival (Native Forum) ImagineNATIVE
The Foundation 1963-1977
Australian Teachers of Media Award -Best Indigenous Resource Flickerfest - Most Popular Documentary
Queen of Hearts
AFI Awards - Best Screenplay in a Short Film – Danielle Maclean Chicago International Television Comp - Certificate of Merit Cold Turkey
Australian Cinematographer Society Awards - Silver Allan Collins One Night the Moon
Australian Cinematographers Society Awards - Gold – Kim Batterham AFI Awards - Best Cinematoraphy
Open Craft Award in Non Feature
AWAGIE Awards - Television Original & Feature Film EthnoFilmfest
Film Critics Circle of Australia - Unique Achievement in Sound, Image & Music Hawaii International Film Festival
New York International Independent Film & Video Festival - Best Musical & Best Cinematography in Non Feature
Arizona International Film Festival Berlin International Film Festival Cinema des Antipodes
Sundance Film Festival (Native Forum)
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival Whispering in Our Hearts
Tudawali Film and Video Awards - Best Documentary – Mitch Tores Beneath Clouds
AFI Awards - Best Direction – Ivan Sen - Best Cinematography – Allan Collins
Berlin International Film Festival - Piper Heidsieck New Talent Award-Danielle Hall (International) - Premiere First Movie Award – Ivan Sen
Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes Cork Film Festival
Durban International Film Festival - Best First Feature - Best Actress – Danielle Hall
IF Awards - Best Direction – Ivan Sen -Best Cinematographer – Allan Collins London Australian Film Festival
Saint Tropez Film Festival - Audience Award - Best Actress – Danielle Hall
Tudawali Film and Video Awards - Best Long Format Drama – Ivan Sen - Best Cinematography – Allan Collins
Clermont-Ferrand International Film Fest Sundance Film Festival (Native Forum)
The Kate Challos RAKA Award - Ivan Sen – Scriptwriting Road
Australian Cinematographers Society Awards - Gold for Allan Collins Dublin Film Festival
Flickerfest 11th Australian International Short Film Festival Flickerfest - Award for Best Director in an Australian Film - Award for Most Popular Film
Cinema des Antipodes-Cannes Locarno International Film Festival
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival International Film Festival Rotterdam
Black Chicks Talking
Brisbane International Film Festival
IF Awards - Best Documentary – Leah Purcell
Radiance
AFI Award - Best Performance by an Actress Deb Mailman
Australian Screen Sound Guild - Best Achievement in Sound Effects Film Critics of Australia - Best Actress – Deb Mailman
Hawaii International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival - Most Popular Feature Film Montreal World Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival - Best Feature Film (Audience Vote) Toronto International Film Festival
Festival Internazionale Cinema Delle Donne - Jury Prize Best Full Length Film Hollywood Black Film Festival - Jury Award – Honorable Mention (Feature Film) London Australian Film Festival
EthnoFilmfest
Tudawali Film and Video Awards - Best Direction in Longer Format Bermuda International Film Festival
International Film Festival Rotterdam Confessions of a Headhunter AFI Award - Best Short Fiction Film Hawaii International Film Festival
Australian Screen Composers Awards - Best Music for a Short Film ImagineNATIVE
Saint Topez Film Festival WthnoFilmfest
Palm Springs International Short Film Festival
Flickerfest – 11th Australian Short Film Festival - Award for Most Popular film Arizona International Film Festival
Locarno International Film Festival
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival International Film Festival Rotterdam
Bush Mechanics
Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival
AFI Awards - Open Craft Award for Original Concept EthnoFilmfest Berlin
International Film Festival Rotterdam My Bed Your Bed
Auckland Film Festival
Cork Film Festival - Special Commendation Dendy Awards - Best Fiction – Erica Glynn Hawaii International Film Festival
Wellington Film Festival
Cannes Australie 25th Anniversary of Australian Film Inter Film Festival
Telluride Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Tudawali Film and Video Awards - Best Direction in Short Film Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival
International Film Festival Rotterdam Grace
Cork Film Festival
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Cannes Australie 25th Anniversary of Australian Film Promise
Cork Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Saturday Night, Sunday Morning FIPA – Cannes
EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Tudawali Film and Video Awards - Best Original Concept Arizona International Film Festical
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival Tears
Australian Cinematographers Society (ACS) Awards Silver Allan Collins Cork Film Festival - Best International Short Film
St Kilda Film Festival - Best Short Film & Best Achievement in Direction Cannes Australie – 25th Anniversay of Australian Film
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Telluride Film Festival Regus London Film Festival
Tampere International Short Film Festival My Colour, Your Kind
Australian Cinematographers Society Award Gold-Allan Collins Cork Film Festival
Cannes Australie – 25th Anniversay of Australian Film Flickerfest International Outdoor Film Festival
Palm Springs International Short Film Festival Inter Film Festival – Berlin
Telluride Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin Passing Through Cork Film Festival
Hof International Film Festival
St Kilda Film Festival - Palm Door Encouragement Award Cannes Australie – 25th Anniversay of Australian Film EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Night Patrol
Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival Wind
Australian Cinematographers Society Award Gold-Allan Collins Australian Cinematographers Society Award Distinction-Allan Collins Cinema des Antipodes-Cannes
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival – Special Commendation Flickerfest – 10th Australian International Short Film Festival
Saint Tropez Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Verlin
Arizona International Film Festival Tampere International Short Film Festival International Film Festival Rotterdam Harry’s War
Melbourne International Film Festival - Outstanding Australian Short Film Promoting Human Values. - International Catholic Film Org Award
Australian Teachers Media Award Best Short Fiction
Black Filmworks Festival of Film & Video- First place (short film) Cinema des Antipodes-Cannes
FIPA-Cannes
Flickerfest-10th Australian
International Short Film - Best Australian Short – Richard Frankland Hawaii International Film Festival
Hollywood Black Film Festival - Jury Award ImagineNATIVE
Saint Tropez Film Festival – Cinema de Antipodes St Kilda Film Festival
EthnoFilmfest Berlin
London Australian Film Festival Arizona International Film Festival International Film Festival Berlin Strike Your Heart
Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes
No Way to Forget Asia Pacific Film Festival
AFI Awards - Nominated for Best Short Fiction AFI Award - Best Sound in Non Feature
Cannes Film Festival - Screening (un Certain Regard) Festival des Antipodes - Paris
Hawaii International Film Festival
St Kilda Film Festival - New Director Award- Richard Frankland Australian Teachers of Media Award - Best Short Drama Brest Short Film Festival
Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes Cork Film Festival
Hannover International Film Festival
Bathurst Film and Video Festival - Best Film- Richard Frankland
Edge of the World Short Film Festival - Highly Commended-Richard Frankland Margaret Mead Film and Video Festival
EthnoFilmfest Berlin
International Film Festival Rotterdam Black Man Down
Festival des Antipodes - Paris Hawaii International Film Festival Brest Short Film Festival
Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes Cork Film Festival
Shintoku Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Payback
Festival des Antipodes - Paris Hawaii International Film Festival Telluride Film Festival
Brest Short Film Festival Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes Cork Film Festival
Shintoku Film Festival
International Film Festival Berlin
Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival Two Bob Mermaid
Asia Pacific Film Festival - Best Dramatic Short Film Festival des Antipodes
Hawaii International Film Festival Venice International Film Festival Brest Short Film Festival
Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes
Clermont-Ferrand International Film Festival
Film Critics Circle of Australia - Best Australian Short Film Cork Film Festival
Shintoku Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin
Arizona International Film Festival Locarno International Film Festival International Film Festival Berlin Round Up
Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films 1996 (NSW Ethnic Affairs Commission Award) Festival des Antipodes
Hawaii International Film Festival Asia Pacific Film Festival
Australian Teachers Media Awards - Best Short Fiction Brest Short Film Festival
Cinema des Antipodes – Cannes Cork Film Festival
Shintoku Film Festival EthnoFilmfest Berlin ImagineNATIVE EthnoFilmfest
International Film Festival Berlin