Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association “Your Voice In The Bush”
Yarning Up Short Films Continue International Screening Success
The Northern Territory’s Indigenous Short Film Initiative, Yarning Up is continuing to find great success with two of it’s films, ‘One River All Rivers’, Directed by Tom E Lewis and ‘Yolgnu Guya Djamamirr’, Directed by Frank Djirrimbilpilwuy, being selected to screen at the ImagiNATIVE Film Festival in Toronto in October. The ImagiNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival is an international festival that celebrates the latest works by Indigenous peoples on the forefront of innovation in film, video, radio, and new media.
‘One River All Rivers’ and ‘Yolgnu Guya Djamamirr’ were produced by Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association (TEABBA) in the first series of the NT Film Office/ ABC/ Screen Australia / NT Department of Education, Employment and Training, initiative, Yarning Up.
‘One River All Rivers’ is a short documentary story about, Arnhemland lawman Roy Ashley Moyngumbi who receives a message from the crow spirit to stop the destruction and drainage of the river system. With time against him he creates a Letter Stick and hangs it as a prayer on the tree in the hope it will be found.
‘Yolgnu Guya Djamamirr’ is a film about the Chooky Dancers from Galiwinku. Since uploading the Chooky Dancers performance of Zorba the Greek - Yolgnu Style, to YouTube, it has become an overnight sensation. This is the story behind the dance.
The Yarning Up short documentaries were made by first time Indigenous directors who participated in film production workshops held at TEABBA and on the job training. All four films were created in local Indigenous languages and shot in each of the Director’s communities. Once the films were completed, they were broadcasted on the ABC’s Message Stick Program. These films have also been screened at the United Nations in New York City, the Natural History Museum also in New York, the International Indigenous Cultural and Bio-Diversity Film Festival in France, Winnipeg Film Festival in Canada, Message Sticks Film Festival in Sydney, Fist Full of Films in Darwin, Darwin Festival and the Garma Festival.
A joint partnership between TEABBA, ABC TV, Screen Australia and the NT Department of Education, Employment and Training, 'Yarning Up' aims to provide training to further develop the skills and opportunities for Top End Australian Indigenous Writers and Directors, by developing and funding the production of a number of short documentary films.
Top End first time Indigenous filmmakers will have another chance to tell their short stories on film, with the commissioning of the second series of 'Yarning Up'. Applications for 'Yarning Up 2' close 1 November 2008, for more information about writing your submission, please contact TEABBA.
Open Until/Deadline: 01/11/2008 15:51
Contact Name: Colin Richards
Contact Phone: 08 8939 0400
Contact Email: colin.richards@teabba.com.au