Unsettled wins Best Short Tragedy at Cinema Festival Ecuador, Nominated Best Short Orion International, Shortlisted Rhode Island International Film Festival, Best Female Directing Vancouver International Movie Awards!!
Queensland theatre’s iconic Bryan Nason makes his filmic debut in our short about a retired Shakespearean actor’s final performance. We are so thrilled that this film has been travelling the world, from Cannes Indie Shorts Awards, to New York Indie Shorts awards, to Byron Bay International Film Festival. Thanks to our cinematographer Caleb Ware this film even took home a silver medal at the Australian Cinematography Awards!
Congratulations also to the legendary Bryan Nason for taking out Best Actor at the Orion International Film Festival!
After so many amazing people put so much work into this piece, Speak of Country showed at Melbourne International Film Festival! We are so excited people were able to experience these incredible Yuin Storyteller’s stories as they come to life in Virtual Reality.
It is so important to keep these stories alive and share them with the world, and we are so thankful that MIFF has given us a platform to do that. Now all of Melbourne can ride the flying combi van through Yuin Nation and discover cultural stories along the way.
We made a true crime doco! Our short ‘Cattle Duff’ was supported by Screen Queensland and has already premiered at Brisbane International Film Festival.
We loved getting to explore rural Queensland for this piece about a crime that dates back to the classic Aussie bushrangers: cattle theft. With the price of cattle on the rise, this crime is only becoming more and more common, and we got to see first-hand how serious it is.
When you can’t trust your neighbours, who can you trust?
There are some stories that are too important not to tell. We are so grateful to have got to work with Monash Health and the Southern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Service creating a short film to educate health professionals on best practices working with First Nations patients.
The feedback from this project has been overwhelming and many tears, according to Jenny (from Monash hospital) who has been able to work with Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer's and use the film to train nurses to act in a culturally respectful way and to factor the many cultural aspects of a person's life into their treatment pathways. This is hugely important as we know it's been a national issue with people being turned away or sent home from hospital when they shouldn't have been.
While the subject matter is heavy, we were lucky to share the filming experience with an amazing crew who helped us take over an entire empty hospital wing for a day. Thanks so much for your sensitivity and hard work!
Our short film ‘Unsettled’ won the Best Foreign Narrative short at the Hollywood Women’s International Film Festival! We are so grateful to have been included in such a great lineup of films by female directors from across the world.
Unsettled synopsis: Something strange is afoot in the rural Queensland town of Theebine. Drought and fire ravage the land. Animals are behaving abnormally. Amid the heat and stress, dreams bleed into reality. As a young woman strives to bring her family farm back from the brink, a mysterious discovery will cause a rift between lovers, forcing one to take drastic action – from which there will be no going back.
‘Leaving Allen Street’ on ABC!
After winning the Audience Choice award at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival last year, ‘Leaving Allen Street’ is going to be available to all to see on ABC TV! Watch it on Wednesday, 10 February at 8.45pm on ABC TV Plus (formerly ABC Comedy). The residents are so excited that their story will be seen far and wide.
The reviews are coming in for Leaving Allen Street, here’s what they have to say:
“Leaving Allen Street is a film that’s good for the soul… Throughout the film, the caretakers and residents champion each other like family. Together they grow. We as viewers are lucky to grow with them.”
- Documentary Drive
http://www.documentarydrive.com/leaving-allen-street/
“Leaving Allen Street is a work that always places the humanity and dignity of its subjects first… A wonderful piece that doesn’t shy from the difficulties that the residents have faced, but also shines a light on a future that speaks to the notion that we all deserve to live our best lives on our own terms and be celebrated for what makes us different and embraced in what makes us all human.”
- The Curb
“If I am being honest I have to admit sitting here writing this review I have the start of some happy tears as I think about the documentary.”
- The Movie Boards
“Channells captures all the stress, the hardship and the high emotions in a wonderfully positive and dignified experience… it is just bursting with so much heart and authenticity that it becomes a meaningful and beautiful documentary.”
- Make the Switch
“I like documentaries that I can learn something from, feel connected to and am uplifted by. Leaving Allen Street provided all of these things… I highly recommend Leaving Allen Street for contagious happiness and inspiring hope when we need it most.”
- Weekend Notes
https://www.weekendnotes.com/leaving-allen-street-film-review-melbourne-documentary-film-festival/
Watch it online as part of Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Available June 30 – July 15: http://mdff.org.au/films/leaving-allen-street
ABC Radio Interview with director Katrina and resident Kathleen
Katrina was interviewed on ABC Radio with Kathleen, one of the stars from our documentary Leaving Allen Street.
If you missed it live give it a listen online here: https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/mornings/leaving-allen-st/12437888
Check out Leaving Allen Street while it’s online at Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Don’t just take our word for it, as Ali Moore from Radio National said: “I can’t recommend it highly enough to you – it’s a terrific documentary.”
Watch ‘Leaving Allen Street’ online as part of Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Available June 30 – July 15: http://mdff.org.au/films/leaving-allen-street
Our film Leaving Allen Street was selected for Melbourne Documentary Film Festival! The film follows 30 adults living with disabilities who find freedom as one of the last institutions in Melbourne closes its doors. It's a fly on the wall story about people living with disabilities who are wanting to love, find purpose and be visible in the community for the first time. The characters are larger than life!
Screen the film at home: June 30 – July 15. Check it out now: http://mdff.org.au/films/leaving-allen-street
The Yuin Nation VR experiences ‘Speak of Country’ will be exhibited in 2020 & 2021. We have learnt so much and have created long lasting friendships through this project. The production brought together over 15 Yuin Nation leaders, NSW coastal community members and the Yarn team who were all committed to respecting, capturing and sharing Yuin culture. The experiences will be exhibited in both Sydney and Melbourne - and we couldn’t be happier! The exhibition program will include artist talks by the Yuin Nation. Stay tuned for details!
“The films provided us with a tool to capture knowledge – not just by word by the emotion attached. It can provide people with almost a life like experience when they view these stories. With that we have exposed young people to that knowledge and created a pathway that they will continue to follow and seek knowledge from.” Noel Webster, Yuin Nation Leader