Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival will bring the next wave of black cinema to Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum from 30 August to
\n1 September 2009.<\/p>\n
The 10th anniversary of the Message Sticks Film Festival includes Warwick Thornton\u2019s Samson & Delilah, which won the Camera d\u2019Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival along with seven new short films by new Indigenous directors, including debuts by Deborah Mailman and Leah Purcell, and Fire Talker, a new documentary about the life and times of Charles Perkins directed by Ivan Sen.<\/p>\n
It is the second year that Bunjilaka has hosted the Message Sticks Film Festival and Caroline Martin, Manager, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre is thrilled to be part of the national tour. \u201cIt is an absolute privilege to work with Blackfella Films and to bring internationally acclaimed films by and about Indigenous people to our audiences\u201d.<\/p>\n
“The Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival provides audiences with a fantastic opportunity to immerse themselves for free in work from Australia’s leading Indigenous filmmakers,” said Sally Riley, manager of Screen Australia’s Indigenous Branch.<\/p>\n
Message Sticks Film Festival is curated by award winning filmmakers Rachel Perkins and Darren Dale from Blackfella Films. It is the only festival in this country that is solely committed to presenting films made by Indigenous people, and all screenings are FREE.<\/p>\n
In addition to Warwick Thornton\u2019s Camera d’Or winning Samson & Delilah, this year\u2019s festival will include a retrospective of Thornton\u2019s best short films including Greenbush, Mimi and the much-loved award winning Nana. Thornton has a close association with the festival as all his past short films have screened at Message Sticks. Making Samson & Delilah is a new 55 minute documentary shot and directed by Beck Cole and produced by Kath Shelter.<\/p>\n
Ivan Sen\u2019s latest documentary Fire Talker uses exclusive archival footage from the early 1960s to 2001 and builds an intimate and honest portrait of Charles Perkins\u2019 life bound inexorably with the most dramatic political shifts in Australian Indigenous policy.<\/p>\n
A highlight of the festival promises to be The New Black, a new generation of Australian filmmakers whose work will be showcased in a series of seven 10-minute dramas. These films by emerging Indigenous writers, directors and producers premiered at Sydney Opera House Message Sticks in May 2009. The New Black is the latest initiative from the Indigenous Branch of Screen Australia and features stories from Far North Queensland, Bourke, Alice Springs, South Coast NSW, inner west and western Sydney.<\/p>\n
The projects were financed with production support from the ABC, NSWFTO and the Pacific Film and Television Commission.<\/p>\n
Message Sticks Film Festival will screen at Melbourne Museum from August 30 \u2013 September 1. See over for program details.<\/p>\n
Message Sticks Film Festival 2009 program<\/p>\n
Sunday 30 August
\n11am \u2013 12.30pm\u00a0Warwick Thornton Retrospective
\n1pm \u2013 3pm\u00a0\u00a0Samson & Delilah
\n3.30pm \u2013 4.30pm\u00a0Making Samson & Delilah<\/p>\n
Monday 31 August
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The New Black
\n6.30pm \u2013 7.15pm \u00a0Session 1: \u00a0Nia’s Melancholy (10 mins)
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bourke Boy (10 mins)
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Farm (11 mins)
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Aunty Maggie & The Womba Wakgun (11 mins)
\n7.30pm \u2013 8.15pm\u00a0Session 2: \u00a0The Party Shoes (11 mins)
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jacob (11 mins)
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ralph (10 mins)<\/p>\n
Tuesday 1 September
\n6pm \u2013 7.30pm\u00a0\u00a0Fire Talker<\/p>\n
Where: Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street Carlton Proudly supported by Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum.<\/p>\n BLACKFELLA\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FILMS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival will bring the next wave of black cinema to Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum from 30 August to 1 September 2009. The 10th anniversary of the Message Sticks Film Festival includes Warwick Thornton\u2019s Samson & Delilah, which won the Camera d\u2019Or at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival along<\/p>\n
\nCost: All films are FREE
\nFurther information: Phone 13 11 02 or visit http:\/\/museumvictoria.com.au\/bunjilaka<\/a>
\nPresented by Blackfella Films in association with Screen Australia, The National Film & Sound Archive, Sydney Opera House and SBS Television.<\/p>\n