Free international short film festival held at UOW

Oct 26, 2004

A free public International Short Film Festival was held last night (Monday 25 October) as part of the 2004 Viva La Gong Festival.

The Centre for Canadian-Australian Studies and the School of English Literatures, Philosophy and Language presented the festival, staged at the University Hall.

The festival screened a selection of short films from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, and Japan. Each film explored the challenges of identity formation in the midst of a complex and rapidly changing world.

Moviegoers had the opportunity to hear from Aboriginal Director, Anita Heiss, who introduced her film and spoke briefly about the different facets of its production and reception.

Dr Anita Heiss is a member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales and is of Australia’s most prolific and well-known Indigenous authors.

Her published works include the historical novel 'Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence', Sydney 1937, the poetry collection 'Token Koori', satirical social commentary 'Sacred Cows', non-fiction text 'Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) – Publishing Aboriginal Literature', and a children’s book entitled 'Me and My Mum'. Anita has also edited editions of 'Southerly', 'Five Bells' and the anthology 'Life in Gadigal Country'.

Anita is currently Associate Professor and writer in residence at Macquarie University. She has recently completed a novella “Not Meeting Mr Right”, and written and directed her first short-film “Checkerboard Love” as part of the Lester Bostock mentorship program through Metro Screen, Sydney.

Anita has performed her works nationally (Sydney Writers’ Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, Message Sticks, Brisbane Writers Festival to name a few festivals) and internationally in Spain, Austria, the USA, Canada, and New Caledonia. This year she will appear in Germany and Indonesia. She has also been published widely in journals, anthologies, and on-line.

Anita chaired the literacy organisation Indij Readers Ltd, from 2003-2004 and was a member of the Australian Society of Authors (ASA) Committee of Management from 1998-2004.

In 2003 in recognition of her literary achievements Anita was awarded the ASA Medal for Under 35s for her contribution to Australian community and public life. In 2004 Anita was awarded the NSW Indigenous Arts Fellowship and was listed in The Bulletin magazine’s “Smart 100.”

More than 300 people turned up to experience this array of multicultural cinema.

Other guests included (pictured left to right) Director of Co.AS.It, Susi Schio; Ken Habek from Ethnic Communities Council of Illawarra; Director of UOW’s Centre for Canadian-Australian Studies, Associate Professor Gerry Turcotte; Vice Principal (International), James Langridge; Consulate General of Italy- Academic Director, Luciana De Leon; Writer/Director Anita Heiss and Jane Hardy from the Canadian High Commission, Canberra.