by Dov Kornits
“You can’t be a commissioner at the Victorian Multicultural Commission and not have a view,” says Vivienne Nguyen AM, Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, about the divisive climate in Australia right now. “You don’t have to be Einstein to know that we are very fractured. We are very divisive. We are very tribal, and we are very singular in our views and our opinions of one another.”
All the more reason to support an initiative such as the Multicultural Film Festival [MFF].
Started in 2017 when Helen Kapalos was Chairperson, the film festival initiative continued when Vivienne took on the role in 2019. “We kept it going because we believe in film as a means to tell a story, and to encourage diverse communities to take part in public discourse in ways and means other than just through speaking.
“It has grown in terms of the number of nominations and submissions and also in its broader reach to the Victorian and national and international communities as well. I have a clear bias for Victoria and Victorians to really get involved and get behind the MFF, because I do believe it is a really good and important means for us to be visible, to tell our stories, and to share the views and perspectives, and be part of nation building.
“Some things might not be comfortable in the first instance, but if the intention is correct and enabling everybody to come together and to be able to share in something good, then let’s readjust,” adds Nguyen when we ask whether some film entries may not present a picture of multiculturism in the most positive way. She cites The Ninth Tower, a fictional short about the Covid lockdowns in the housing commission flats of Flemington and North Melbourne, which won an award at the 2022 Multicultural Film Festival.
“It’s about accepting different perspectives from the films that the audience might or might not necessarily feel naturally comfortable with, or they might feel a little bit awkward about as we watch them.
“Film is a fantastic means to build, to connect to strengths and to bring everybody together and to find that common good ground. I encourage everybody to do their film and submit their film and put forward their version of the story, version of history, version of that lived experience. I think that’s important. We try to ensure that the winners receive a reasonable prize, have access to places that they can further develop professionally and be able to continue that path should they want to develop further. We are doing our best to really make sure that filmmaking for multicultural communities is a decent and over time a well-accepted, professional, artistic and skillful way for people to contribute.”
We end our chat by asking Vivienne what she’s learnt most in her role at the Victorian Multicultural Commission. “Because of the environments that I have been in, the pandemic, the Middle East conflict, and now the global matters with respect to Trump and everyone else … You get to meet with, you get to talk to, you get to hear from and learn from so many different people and perspectives. There’s just so much nuance, which has really helped me personally to be a lot slower in forming judgment and passing a comment about somebody, whatever it is that they may or may not have that doesn’t really fit the norms.”
Enter your film now to the Multicultural Film Festival. For more information on the festival, head here.
