Director Adrian Wills
June 9th 2010 01:29
:
Exclusive Interview
In some ways it seems a little sad to me that we still have to make a distinction between indigenous and non-indigenous in this day and age, particularly in a country as multi-cultural as Australia where every race on earth has found a home. I often wonder about it when I am looking at works that sit in film festivals, but seldom get distribution outside these hot-house kind of placements. I thought director Adrian Wills may have an opinion about these thoughts, but he doesn't. When I asked if there was a simple explanation for this, he replied I don't have an answer for this.
I should have known he would not have an answer; there really is no answer. On the one hand I see how a Spanish Film Festival or an Irish or Australian Film Festival has a particular audience, and obviously one of the roles of a Film Festival is to generate an audience for works from a particular place or looking at a particular theme.
Here in Australia there are still so many issues concerning the rights of indigenous Australians, I have no answer, why should anyone else?
I also wonder about stories that celebrate the interactions of intergration for want of a better word. Stories, films, that are informed by people living together in stories that are told without any direct referencing to cultural background. Not "feel good" movies, but movies concerned with a story that includes people from wherever - good stories, that show how people can get along. Wills (probably quite sensibly), had nothing to add to my ponderings around this.
I'm now thinking it's the questions we have, such as this, that may be informed by attending something like the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival.
Adrian Wills' one hour documentary Boxing for Palm Island promises to be a highlight of the free Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival touring the country this month.
Boxing for Palm Island tells of the remarkable revival of boxing on Palm Island, a place with a dark history and a notorious reputation. Wills' short film, Daniel's 21st, will also be screened. I posed a few questions to Adrian while he was on the set of his current film.
DJ: Is it as difficult to make a short film as it is to make a feature?
AW: I haven't made a feature film as yet but I would imagine them to be very different beasts. I would think that the rhythms would be the most noticeable change between a feature and a short film.
DJ: What's your connection with Palm Island?
AW: My connection with Palm Island arose out of making Boxing for Palm Island, I have such a respect for the community there and am in awe of how much natural talent there is on Palm, not just in boxing but football, athletics and just in general. I was struck by how intelligent the people on Palm were, and I am not saying this as a slur by any stretch, they are very smart, charming people who are extremely embracing and welcoming. I have such a soft spot for them, as does the producer Michaela Perske.
DJ: Do you think the general situation of indigenous people around the globe is improving?
AW: I am not sure, I believe it's different somehow from my limited knowledge, but improved I would definitely say no, especially in Australia.
DJ: Do you think the long term objective is to do away with such definitions as indigenous and non-indigenous, and focus on the quality of the actual art?
AW: In regards to this I feel that we should only comment on art for arts sake, people that have to consider where its origins have come from or the race of people it has been produced by, in my mind are missing out on the point.
DJ: Indigenous Australians have a long tradition of story-telling in unique ways, do you think this cultural element transfers well to the screen?
AW: I think cinema is the a perfect place.
DJ: How difficult is it to get funding for films like these?
AW: You should ask my producer, but for Boxing for Palm Island I know it was very difficult, but it's a very competitive market, and it's very expensive to make a film, so in context it is always hard to finance a film, extremely hard.
DJ: What sort of material are you hoping to produce in the future?
AW: I hope to do anything my heart desires; musicals, horrors, dramas, art house. etc.
DJ: Do you think you will ever look at telling positive stories of integration; is there a place for such stories?
AW: No comment.
DJ: What motivates you as a film maker... why film?
AW: I strongly believe it chose me.
DJ: Are the films you make for everyone or primarily for an indigenous audience?
AW: The films I make are for everyone who wants to watch them, but the most important thing for me is that they inspire other generations of Aboriginal artists, filmmakers whatever to follow their heart as well and tell the stories they want to tell.
And of course just as we are cutting through to something that I think is a primary motivator, we end our time talking about the issue, but now I do have some insight that really excites me to check out not only Wills' film, but all the others featured in the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival.
Now I'm thinking - yes - he, like any other artist, is partly driven by the desire to inspire others like him; certainly indigenous people, but as he says, anyone who wants to be inspired. Thanks Adrian.
David Jobling
I should have known he would not have an answer; there really is no answer. On the one hand I see how a Spanish Film Festival or an Irish or Australian Film Festival has a particular audience, and obviously one of the roles of a Film Festival is to generate an audience for works from a particular place or looking at a particular theme.
Here in Australia there are still so many issues concerning the rights of indigenous Australians, I have no answer, why should anyone else?
I also wonder about stories that celebrate the interactions of intergration for want of a better word. Stories, films, that are informed by people living together in stories that are told without any direct referencing to cultural background. Not "feel good" movies, but movies concerned with a story that includes people from wherever - good stories, that show how people can get along. Wills (probably quite sensibly), had nothing to add to my ponderings around this.
I'm now thinking it's the questions we have, such as this, that may be informed by attending something like the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival.
Adrian Wills' one hour documentary Boxing for Palm Island promises to be a highlight of the free Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival touring the country this month.
Boxing for Palm Island tells of the remarkable revival of boxing on Palm Island, a place with a dark history and a notorious reputation. Wills' short film, Daniel's 21st, will also be screened. I posed a few questions to Adrian while he was on the set of his current film.
DJ: Is it as difficult to make a short film as it is to make a feature?
AW: I haven't made a feature film as yet but I would imagine them to be very different beasts. I would think that the rhythms would be the most noticeable change between a feature and a short film.
DJ: What's your connection with Palm Island?
AW: My connection with Palm Island arose out of making Boxing for Palm Island, I have such a respect for the community there and am in awe of how much natural talent there is on Palm, not just in boxing but football, athletics and just in general. I was struck by how intelligent the people on Palm were, and I am not saying this as a slur by any stretch, they are very smart, charming people who are extremely embracing and welcoming. I have such a soft spot for them, as does the producer Michaela Perske.
DJ: Do you think the general situation of indigenous people around the globe is improving?
AW: I am not sure, I believe it's different somehow from my limited knowledge, but improved I would definitely say no, especially in Australia.
DJ: Do you think the long term objective is to do away with such definitions as indigenous and non-indigenous, and focus on the quality of the actual art?
AW: In regards to this I feel that we should only comment on art for arts sake, people that have to consider where its origins have come from or the race of people it has been produced by, in my mind are missing out on the point.
DJ: Indigenous Australians have a long tradition of story-telling in unique ways, do you think this cultural element transfers well to the screen?
AW: I think cinema is the a perfect place.
DJ: How difficult is it to get funding for films like these?
AW: You should ask my producer, but for Boxing for Palm Island I know it was very difficult, but it's a very competitive market, and it's very expensive to make a film, so in context it is always hard to finance a film, extremely hard.
DJ: What sort of material are you hoping to produce in the future?
AW: I hope to do anything my heart desires; musicals, horrors, dramas, art house. etc.
DJ: Do you think you will ever look at telling positive stories of integration; is there a place for such stories?
AW: No comment.
DJ: What motivates you as a film maker... why film?
AW: I strongly believe it chose me.
DJ: Are the films you make for everyone or primarily for an indigenous audience?
AW: The films I make are for everyone who wants to watch them, but the most important thing for me is that they inspire other generations of Aboriginal artists, filmmakers whatever to follow their heart as well and tell the stories they want to tell.
And of course just as we are cutting through to something that I think is a primary motivator, we end our time talking about the issue, but now I do have some insight that really excites me to check out not only Wills' film, but all the others featured in the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival.
Now I'm thinking - yes - he, like any other artist, is partly driven by the desire to inspire others like him; certainly indigenous people, but as he says, anyone who wants to be inspired. Thanks Adrian.
David Jobling
| 159 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
