Birrarangga Film Festival, a celebration of Indigenous films from across the globe, has today announced new additions to the festival program including the Southern Hemisphere premiere of ÁRRAN 360°. The festival is proud to present, in partnership with the International Sámi Film Institute, a first-of-its-kind film project featuring six original 360-degree screen-based works created by six leading Sámi artists. These Sámi artists hail from across Sápmi, the Sámi homeland, extending across the Arctic region of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. ÁRRAN 360° had its world premiere at the 2022 Venice Biennale and will now be presented to Victorian audiences. These films were shot with a unique rig of six cameras, and will screen as part of the Birrarangga Film Festival with thanks to presenting partner Deakin University Waurn Ponds, Geelong, home to a specialised 360° screen.
Artistic Director Tony Briggs said “It was incredible to see ÁRRAN 360° so embraced at Venice Biennale last year. I love the creativity and innovation that went into this project, enabling these special films by Sámi filmmakers to be presented in 360°, and reflecting the spirit of their circular storytelling. I’m thrilled that audiences will be able to enjoy this unique, 360° viewing experience for themselves.”
Birrarangga Film Festival will again play host to entertaining and thoughtful panel discussions across a range of topics. Talks will include:
- United Struggle – Two giants of First Nations activism, Uncles Tame Iti and Gary Foley, share stories of friendship and activism over the last 50 years and how filmmaking has helped the cause. Moderated by Bundjalung and Kullilli broadcaster and journalist, Daniel Browning.
- The Making of Sweet As – Bundjalung and Kullilli broadcaster and journalist, Daniel Browning, in conversation with filmmakers Jub Clerc (Nyul Nyul/Yawuru) and Liz Kearney discussing the making of the beautiful feature film Sweet As.
- Whose Story Is It Anyway? – Bringing together international screen leaders in a discussion that explores the idea of Story Sovereignty, examining the age-old question of who gets to tell Indigenous stories and why?
- First Peoples Screen Forum – Initiated by Creative Victoria’s First Peoples Directions Circle, this is a forum created for Indigenous screen creatives to speak openly about their experiences in the screen Industry. Attendees will hear from other filmmakers and share their stories and discuss being a blak filmmaker in Victoria.
The festival will also showcase a diverse selection of shorts packages including; Connections, curated by Jodie Bell, a Butchella and Jagera woman from Southeast Queensland; Surviving Sins, a collection of international shorts curated by Tony Briggs; NGĀ RĀRĀ O TE RĀKAU ‘Small branches from our tree’, a collection of shorts selected by award-winning Māori filmmaker Tearepa Kahi, who specialises in Kaupapa Māori stories; and Kyindoo Wilam, a series of children’s animations and shorts curated by Tony Briggs, that tell beautifully expressed stories with honesty and warmth. Stories highlight the negative impact of colonisation and the profound strength through connection to culture by Indigenous people.
VicScreen CEO, Caroline Pitcher said, “Birrarangga Film Festival is set to light up Victoria with a wonderfully curated program of dynamic panels and premium films from around the globe. VicScreen is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with the festival, celebrating incredible Indigenous storytellers whose films have real world impact.”
Birrarangga Film Festival is produced with principal partner Creative Victoria, major partner VicScreen, presenting partners RMIT Culture, ACMI, Lido, Classic, Pride Centre and Federation Square and official hotel partner Sofitel.
Tickets are now on sale. For further details on Birrarangga Film Festival’s full program, including synopses, screening dates, times and ticketing information, please visit: https://www.birrarangga.world/
ABOUT BIRRARANGGA FILM FESTIVAL: Birrarangga Film Festival celebrates global Indigenous films that explore the curatorial themes of ‘strength, resilience and the environment’. First Nations relationships to the image as a form of expression, particularly in Australia, is connected to thousands of years of cultural practices. This festival honours that history and acknowledges the contemporary currency of the moving image, of film, as an expression of the human experience in relation to our natural surroundings.
BIRRARANGGA is the Woiwurrung word for ‘river location’. Wurundjeri/Yorta Yorta Elder, Aunty Zeta Thomson has given her blessing to use this name for the festival. Rivers connect Indigenous people across the world; they have fluidity, movement and life, just as films do. Birrarangga Film Festival creates a platform for Indigenous storytelling, encouraging emerging leaders in the screen industry and creating visibility for Indigenous filmmakers.
