STORYLINES '09 CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL
November 18th 2009 12:00
Original Creative Writing:
STORYLINES '09 CULTURAL ARTS FESTIVAL
DANCE | ART| MUSIC | PLAY SEASON | FILM PROGRAM | FORUM
21 NOVEMBER 2009 Â SHORT FILM EVENING, 7:30PM @ THE RIVERVIEW THEATRETTE ($20)
AN EVENING OF AWARD WINNING AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILMS...
For one-night-only on Saturday 21 November Storylines '09 Cultural Arts Festival presents an evening of short films by award winning Young Australian filmmakers, followed by a question and answer session with the directors.
The selection of three Indigenous and Muslim stories includes recent Arab Film Festival award winner, and winner of the Best Non-Fiction Film at the Robin Andersen Film Awards 2008, Nawal Abdi with her film My Journey based on her grandfather Mahmoud Abdi's journey to Australia. Also included is the animation Huriyya and her Sisters by the Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Inc and young Muslim women from Western Sydney - which was screened at the Arab Film Festival. The final film for the evening, Back to Bourke, follows the story of the Indigenous river people who live on the Murray Darling River.
My Journey by Nawal Abdi (a year 11 Burwood Girls High student) is based on the recollections of her grandfather, Mahmoud Abdi, who was forced to leave his mother, brothers and homeland of Palestine, to travel to Lebanon in 1948. The film documents the struggles of Mahmoud as he experiences life as an outcast in Lebanon, the influence of the Lebanese culture and how the UN came to the aid of the Palestinian people. Mahmoud and his family migrated to Australia in 1977 to rebuild their lives together in Croydon - Sydney.
The Islam influenced animation Huriyya and her Sisters was created by young Muslim women and girls exploring their experiences of the world. Sisters Khadija, Mariam, Assia, Fatima and Huriyya find solace in the spiritual beauty of the moving world, discover wisdom in the most fantastical of places, and long to stop bombs falling on children. Huriyya and her Sisters has been described as Âelegant, witty and beautifully paced.Â
The animation was supported by several community centres and the Human Rights Commission; work commenced over 18 months at the community centers in south-west and western Sydney where participants developed the visuals, sound and storylines.
The evening concludes with a Riverview Old Boys Union funded film, Back to Bourke, which traces the story of four generations of a working Aboriginal family. It follows the perspectives of River people who live, work and love in one of the worldÂs most significant river systems; AustraliaÂs food bowl the Murray Darling Basin. Back to Bourke was recently screened by NSW Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Kevin Humphries in Parliament House.
The Storylines Â09 Cultural Festival Short Film Evening is an extraordinary opportunity to view prominent Australian short film works; and to further the opportunity to delve deeper with a question and answer session after the screenings.
Sat 21 Nov, 7:30PM ($20)
TICKETS: storylines09festival.blogspot
61 2 9882 8447
VENUE: Saint Ignatius College, Riverview, Tambourine Bay Road, Lane Cove, NSW, 2066
TRANSPORT: Buses from Chatswood interchange  short cab ride from Chatswood train station ($15 approx)
PARKING: Plenty of parking in school grounds
MORE INFO: storylines09festival.blogspot | Storylines
PHONE 61 2 9882 8447
EDITORÂS NOTES
Nawal Abdi, My Journey
Talented up-and-coming film maker and year 12 Burwood Girls High School student Nawal Abdi will be presenting her film My Journey based on recollections of her grandfather, Mahmoud Abdi. Half Lebanese and half Palestinian, Nawal was inspired to make a film in year 10 as part of her photographic and digital media school studies to enable other students in her class to understand her ethnic background. Although certain ethnicities in her school were easily identifiable the majority of NawalÂs classmates were oblivious to the location of Palestine. Nawal wanted to document the struggles her grandfather faced when moving to Australia. The film traces his journey from 1948 - when he was forced to leave his homeland, Palestine - to the present day. Nawal explains that "people who move to Australia often come from war-torn countries where there are not equal opportunities for all". She believes that Australia offers equal opportunities for those who to better their lives. After winning Junior Non-fiction Robin Andersen film Award in 2008 for My Journey, NawalÂs uncle encouraged her to submit it to the Arab film festival. My Journey is a testament to the fact that through art, young people can strive to improve social understanding and tolerance of different cultures and identities. Nawal is thrilled to have her film screened at Riverview and will be attending the festival to introduce her accomplishments in person.
Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Inc (BAMN), Huriyya and her Sisters
Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Inc. (BAMN) is a non-profit, community based organisation which aims to assist, resource and provide information to residents of non-English speaking backgrounds in the Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool local government areas, to improve their quality of life. BAMN was established in 1984 by a number of Bankstown residents who recognised the need for a forum to provide assistance to those with language difficulties. The film Huriyya and her Sisters is a community cultural development (CCD) project managed by Bankstown Area Multicultural Network (BAMN), and is proudly supported by the Australian Government through an initiative between the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australia Council for the Arts, Bankstown City Council and TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute. This project has received critical acclaim from the participants parents, families and communities, and project partners the Information & Cultural Exchange (ICE), Auburn Community Development Network (ACDN) and Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service (BMYS). Huriyya and her Sisters gives voice to the stories of young Muslim women living in Sydney, and was launched by celebrated author Randa Abdel-Fattah on July 5 at the 2009 Arab Film Festival, which was hosted at the Parramatta Riverside Theatres.
James Todd, Back to Bourke
Sydney-born James Todd explores his passion in film production, cinematography and camera operation in his recent project Back to Bourke, which was screened at the 2009 Dungog Film Festival and in the NSW Parliament house. Twenty years in the making, Back to Bourke tells the story of two families - one a country Kurnu/Barkindji mob and the other a group of Irish/city convicts. Their friendship has spanned over three generations and still continues to this day as the two groups continue to laugh, cry, eat and drink together. During their twenty year history, Todd has found BourkeÂs media image a misrepresentation with an emphasis on riots, drunkenness, drugs and debauchery. Through film, Todd seeks to reveal the true story of a friendship that has blossomed over three decades. Most recently James has been working on new Australian drama Spirited (2009) and Packed to the Rafters (2009) and his cinematography is also apparent in works including: Shadow of Sins - Feature Film; My BrotherÂs Kosova Wedding  Documentary; Hook  Short Film; and Fingerprints  Finalist in Short Film Tropfest (Australia) 2005; 2005 Aspen Short Fest (USA); 2005 St Kilda Film Festival (Australia); 2005 Pune International Film Festival (India); 2006 Tribeca Film Festival (USA). ToddÂs work as a camera operator was demonstrated in the 2007 award winning television drama series East West 101, the 2006 series of Survivor: Cook Islands, The Manual (2006, Short Film); Back to the Reserve (2005, Documentary), All Saints (2005, Television Series) and the 2002/03 television series White Collar Blue.
DANCE | ART| MUSIC | PLAY SEASON | FILM PROGRAM | FORUM
21 NOVEMBER 2009 Â SHORT FILM EVENING, 7:30PM @ THE RIVERVIEW THEATRETTE ($20)
AN EVENING OF AWARD WINNING AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILMS...
For one-night-only on Saturday 21 November Storylines '09 Cultural Arts Festival presents an evening of short films by award winning Young Australian filmmakers, followed by a question and answer session with the directors.
The selection of three Indigenous and Muslim stories includes recent Arab Film Festival award winner, and winner of the Best Non-Fiction Film at the Robin Andersen Film Awards 2008, Nawal Abdi with her film My Journey based on her grandfather Mahmoud Abdi's journey to Australia. Also included is the animation Huriyya and her Sisters by the Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Inc and young Muslim women from Western Sydney - which was screened at the Arab Film Festival. The final film for the evening, Back to Bourke, follows the story of the Indigenous river people who live on the Murray Darling River.
My Journey by Nawal Abdi (a year 11 Burwood Girls High student) is based on the recollections of her grandfather, Mahmoud Abdi, who was forced to leave his mother, brothers and homeland of Palestine, to travel to Lebanon in 1948. The film documents the struggles of Mahmoud as he experiences life as an outcast in Lebanon, the influence of the Lebanese culture and how the UN came to the aid of the Palestinian people. Mahmoud and his family migrated to Australia in 1977 to rebuild their lives together in Croydon - Sydney.
The Islam influenced animation Huriyya and her Sisters was created by young Muslim women and girls exploring their experiences of the world. Sisters Khadija, Mariam, Assia, Fatima and Huriyya find solace in the spiritual beauty of the moving world, discover wisdom in the most fantastical of places, and long to stop bombs falling on children. Huriyya and her Sisters has been described as Âelegant, witty and beautifully paced.Â
The animation was supported by several community centres and the Human Rights Commission; work commenced over 18 months at the community centers in south-west and western Sydney where participants developed the visuals, sound and storylines.
The evening concludes with a Riverview Old Boys Union funded film, Back to Bourke, which traces the story of four generations of a working Aboriginal family. It follows the perspectives of River people who live, work and love in one of the worldÂs most significant river systems; AustraliaÂs food bowl the Murray Darling Basin. Back to Bourke was recently screened by NSW Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Kevin Humphries in Parliament House.
The Storylines Â09 Cultural Festival Short Film Evening is an extraordinary opportunity to view prominent Australian short film works; and to further the opportunity to delve deeper with a question and answer session after the screenings.
Sat 21 Nov, 7:30PM ($20)
TICKETS: storylines09festival.blogspot
61 2 9882 8447
VENUE: Saint Ignatius College, Riverview, Tambourine Bay Road, Lane Cove, NSW, 2066
TRANSPORT: Buses from Chatswood interchange  short cab ride from Chatswood train station ($15 approx)
PARKING: Plenty of parking in school grounds
MORE INFO: storylines09festival.blogspot | Storylines
PHONE 61 2 9882 8447
EDITORÂS NOTES
Nawal Abdi, My Journey
Talented up-and-coming film maker and year 12 Burwood Girls High School student Nawal Abdi will be presenting her film My Journey based on recollections of her grandfather, Mahmoud Abdi. Half Lebanese and half Palestinian, Nawal was inspired to make a film in year 10 as part of her photographic and digital media school studies to enable other students in her class to understand her ethnic background. Although certain ethnicities in her school were easily identifiable the majority of NawalÂs classmates were oblivious to the location of Palestine. Nawal wanted to document the struggles her grandfather faced when moving to Australia. The film traces his journey from 1948 - when he was forced to leave his homeland, Palestine - to the present day. Nawal explains that "people who move to Australia often come from war-torn countries where there are not equal opportunities for all". She believes that Australia offers equal opportunities for those who to better their lives. After winning Junior Non-fiction Robin Andersen film Award in 2008 for My Journey, NawalÂs uncle encouraged her to submit it to the Arab film festival. My Journey is a testament to the fact that through art, young people can strive to improve social understanding and tolerance of different cultures and identities. Nawal is thrilled to have her film screened at Riverview and will be attending the festival to introduce her accomplishments in person.
Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Inc (BAMN), Huriyya and her Sisters
Bankstown Area Multicultural Network Inc. (BAMN) is a non-profit, community based organisation which aims to assist, resource and provide information to residents of non-English speaking backgrounds in the Bankstown, Fairfield and Liverpool local government areas, to improve their quality of life. BAMN was established in 1984 by a number of Bankstown residents who recognised the need for a forum to provide assistance to those with language difficulties. The film Huriyya and her Sisters is a community cultural development (CCD) project managed by Bankstown Area Multicultural Network (BAMN), and is proudly supported by the Australian Government through an initiative between the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australia Council for the Arts, Bankstown City Council and TAFE NSW South Western Sydney Institute. This project has received critical acclaim from the participants parents, families and communities, and project partners the Information & Cultural Exchange (ICE), Auburn Community Development Network (ACDN) and Bankstown Multicultural Youth Service (BMYS). Huriyya and her Sisters gives voice to the stories of young Muslim women living in Sydney, and was launched by celebrated author Randa Abdel-Fattah on July 5 at the 2009 Arab Film Festival, which was hosted at the Parramatta Riverside Theatres.
James Todd, Back to Bourke
Sydney-born James Todd explores his passion in film production, cinematography and camera operation in his recent project Back to Bourke, which was screened at the 2009 Dungog Film Festival and in the NSW Parliament house. Twenty years in the making, Back to Bourke tells the story of two families - one a country Kurnu/Barkindji mob and the other a group of Irish/city convicts. Their friendship has spanned over three generations and still continues to this day as the two groups continue to laugh, cry, eat and drink together. During their twenty year history, Todd has found BourkeÂs media image a misrepresentation with an emphasis on riots, drunkenness, drugs and debauchery. Through film, Todd seeks to reveal the true story of a friendship that has blossomed over three decades. Most recently James has been working on new Australian drama Spirited (2009) and Packed to the Rafters (2009) and his cinematography is also apparent in works including: Shadow of Sins - Feature Film; My BrotherÂs Kosova Wedding  Documentary; Hook  Short Film; and Fingerprints  Finalist in Short Film Tropfest (Australia) 2005; 2005 Aspen Short Fest (USA); 2005 St Kilda Film Festival (Australia); 2005 Pune International Film Festival (India); 2006 Tribeca Film Festival (USA). ToddÂs work as a camera operator was demonstrated in the 2007 award winning television drama series East West 101, the 2006 series of Survivor: Cook Islands, The Manual (2006, Short Film); Back to the Reserve (2005, Documentary), All Saints (2005, Television Series) and the 2002/03 television series White Collar Blue.
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