Karl Hampton
MINISTER FOR CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
22 July 2011
Media Release
Central Australian film producers and film lovers are big winners in the latest rounds of Territory
Government’s Screen Grants Funding Program, Minister for Central Australia Karl Hampton
announced today.
Mr Hampton said almost $90,000 has been granted to seven local filmmakers and film groups
to develop, produce and screen short films and documentaries.
“Alice Springs and Central Australia is home to some of Australia’s most powerful story tellers
and the Territory Government is proud to get behind them,” Minister Hampton said.
“This year Territorians will have access to more locally produced films and documentaries as a
result of funding through the Territory Government’s Screen Grants Funding Program.
“Past recipients have gone on to win national and international awards including AFIs and the
prestigious Camera d’Or at Cannes and have their films screened at national and international
film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, and on national and international TV.
“We want to continue to stimulate industry and help our films reach bigger national and
international audiences.
“Film provides an important medium to help us tell our story, and help contribute to the
Territory’s unique identity.
“The Henderson Government is committed to continue to provide opportunities for Territory film
makers to break into the film industry, and more opportunities for Territorians to enjoy our local
films.”
2011 Northern Territory Screen Grants Funding Program recipients include:
- $20,000 to PAW Media and Communications in Yuendumu to produce documentary
Coniston: Telling it True which tells the stories of those who survived the brutal Coniston
Massacre of 1928. The documentary is being co-written and co-directed by Francis Kelly
and David Batty of Bush Mechanics fame. - $20 000 to GRB Special Projects, producers Dr Lisa Watts and Ms Rachel Clements to
produce GRB the story of George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga, former lead singer of the
Warumpi Band, and his extraordinary contribution to Indigenous contemporary music and
to Australian reconciliation. - $20,000 to David Curl Pty Ltd in Alice Springs to continue developing documentary The
Kangaroo, the Kingfisher and the Cuckoo. This grant will support the development of a
draft script and additional principal photography. - $5,000 to Fringe Dweller Films Pty Ltd in Alice Springs to continue to develop the
documentary Lucky Country, about an Arrernte man and his horse. Lucky Country
gained national interest when presented to broadcasters at the Australian International
Documentary Conference in Adelaide this year. - $13,900 to Red Hot Arts Central Australia for Cinema by the River (previously Cinema in
the River) a vibrant and well loved element of the Alice Desert Festival which provides
audiences with the rare opportunity to see locally made content alongside films of
national and international standard and profile. Cinema by the River also includes Lens
Flair, a local short film competition which ran for the first time in 2010. - $5, 000 to CAAMA Productions Pty Ltd for the 21st anniversary screenings of Nganampa
Anwernekenhe which will took place at the Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival in
Alice Springs recently. - $4, 206 to Katherine Regional Arts towards Feast Your Eyes on This – A Cultural Feast of
Movies, Bushfoods, Damper and Popcorn which is being held as part of the inaugural
Moon Dreaming Cultural Festival in the Bulman-Weemol community.
“In 2010-11 more there$300,000 was provided through our Screen Grants Funding Program to
help bring 20 new stories to the screen,” Mr Hampton said.