Filmmakers shine light on Western Australian stories in WA Reflections
Iconic rock music masses at St George’s Cathedral in the 70s and a drag king pioneer are among four new documentaries that will shine a spotlight on Western Australian history as part of WA Reflections.
Iconic rock music masses at St George’s Cathedral in the 70s and a drag king pioneer are among four new documentaries that will shine a spotlight on Western Australian history as part of WA Reflections.
The State Library of Western Australia has partnered with Screenwest and Lotterywest for a third season of WA Reflections, opening its archives to give early to mid-career filmmakers an opportunity to share uniquely WA stories.
Selected teams will receive up to $25,000 production funding per project to produce a short documentary film (maximum seven minutes duration), creatively using items from the State Library’s collection, which includes letters, diaries, posters, photographs and oral histories.
This year’s successful applicants are:
Love, Rock En Masse: A documentary that explores the groundbreaking collision of rock music and religion in 1970s Perth through the iconic rock masses at St George’s Cathedral, and how rock masses brought thousands of young people together on issues like freedom, pollution, and human rights.
Key creatives:
- Director/Co-Writer Mahalia Bowles;
- Producer/Co-Writer Emma Wilkes.
A Search Beyond The Stars: A history of WA’s space exploration and its significant achievements along the way, the documentary by First Nations brothers Luke and Daniel Riches explores the unknown history of astronomical discoveries in WA.
Key creatives:
- Producer Luke Riches;
- Writer/Director Daniel Riches.
The Road Ahead: A Story of Arnold Cook and the Guide Dogs Movement: A heartwarming and inspiring story of the life and legacy of disability pioneer, Dr Arnold Cook, his Guide dog Dreena, and the Guide Dog movement. Filmmaker Michelle Tan focuses on the determination of one visually impaired man and his commitment to transform access and mobility for others.
Key creatives:
- Director Claire Ha;
- Producer Kelvin Ha;
- Writer Michelle Tan.
I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana: A bold journey of self-discovery where an emerging performer sets out to honour the legacy of acclaimed vaudeville entertainer and male impersonator Effie Fellows (1893-1977).
Key creative:
- Director/Producer Marco Noe.
State Library of Western Australia Chief Executive Officer and State Librarian Catherine Clark said the State Library was proud to again partner with Screenwest on this special project.
“We are excited to welcome the filmmakers who will bring these diverse Western Australian stories to life for season three of WA Reflections,” she said.
“Our ongoing partnership with Screenwest enables the production of new work and deposits contemporary voices and fresh interpretations of historical events into the State Library’s collection.”
Screenwest Chief Executive Officer Rikki Lea Bestall said WA Reflections was a worthy collaboration that helped unearth new documentary talent and tell important local stories.
“The State Library’s collection is a treasure trove of untapped history,” Ms Bestall said. “Through WA Reflections, these special pieces of history are serving as inspiration for local filmmakers to create a lasting legacy about distinctly Western Australian people, places and happenings.
“I look forward to seeing the creativity of this talented bunch of filmmakers on the big screen.”
Previous WA Reflections films include a dramatisation of a ballroom murder mystery, an immersive VR look at famous Perth architect Iwan Iwanoff’s designs, and a celebration of the longest running LGBTQIA+ nightclub in the Southern Hemisphere.
The State Library is currently hosting an exhibition about the life of Sam Lovell OAM who was the subject of the 2023 WA Reflections film The Tale of Mr Kimberley. Lovell, a stockman and drover, is regarded as the ‘father of Aboriginal tourism in WA’, and with his wife Rosita, became the first Aboriginal tour operators in the Kimberley.
Past WA Reflections documentary projects can be viewed on the State Library’s website or YouTube channel.