Supporting Indigenous filmmaking with Australia’s audio-visual heritage

The Morrison Government is supporting the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) with a $70,000 grant to commission an Indigenous filmmaker, to produce a contemporary, digital work as part of the UK/Australia Season theme of Who are we now?.

The project, tentatively titled Re/Vision, will involve an Indigenous filmmaker working closely with NFSA curatorial and technical experts to produce a creative work that will offer an interpretation of Australia’s audio-visual heritage to today’s audiences.

Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, said the NFSA’s collection will play a leading role in growing audiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists.

“This important project explores new ways of interpreting the NFSA’s collection and Australian history in a contemporary and innovative way,” Minister Fletcher said.

The NFSA will match the funding contribution with in-kind support of more than $100,000 and retain the work as part of their collection.

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, said the Morrison Government is focused on continuing to grow Indigenous cultural understanding through the UK/Australia Season, particularly at a time where international travel is not possible.

“This provides an opportunity to foster cultural understanding, locally and with international audiences, and encourage creativity and innovation through the use of digital technologies and collaboration,” said Minister Payne.

The Office for the Arts supports activities in Australia and around the world that promote the Government’s international arts and cultural engagement and cultural diplomacy priorities, and assist the Government in meeting Australia’s international commitments relating to arts and culture. T

he UK/Australia Season is a major new cultural exchange celebrating the diverse and innovative artist communities and cultural sectors of each nation. A collaboration between the British Council and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, The Season is a vibrant programme spanning theatre, film, visual arts, dance, design, architecture, music, literature, higher education and a public engagement programme.

The Morrison Government is investing more than $1 billion into the arts and creative sector in 2021-22.