Red Dirt Riders premieres on ABC ME and ABC iview from 5 July 2021
Red Dirt Riders will premiere on ABC ME and ABC iview on Monday, 5 July 2021 from 4:30pm.
Screenwest and Lotterywest supported documentary, Red Dirt Riders, will premiere on ABC ME and ABC iview on Monday, 5 July 2021 from 4:30pm
Audiences are invited to get ready for an action-packed adventure as bike-obsessed kids from Roebourne in Western Australia’s remote Pilbara Region take us on a journey across their country on 2 and 4-wheeler freedom machines.
Criss-crossing Ngarluma country around Roebourne, sharing yarns and laughs along the way, Red Dirt Riders is a 5-part 15-minute factual series premiering on ABC ME during NAIDOC Week 2021.
Experience the Pilbara’s first traffic jam, take a trip to a coastal ghost town, discover some fascinating local history about a famous dog and hear stories of the spirits of the country, all whilst avoiding getting bogged in the bush with the Red Dirt Riders.
Directed and co-produced by Ngarluma man, Tyson Mowarin, this inspiring series is yet another example of Mowarin’s commitment to creating screen content designed to share and preserve Australian Indigenous culture.
“Ngarluma country is beautiful all year round. This time we worked in the winter and even had rain. The kids were really into it and we were happy that kids who didn’t ride could still be involved making music for the series,” director and co-producer Tyson Mowarin says.
The naturally comedic Red Dirt Riders are aged between 10 – 13 years and include Logan Adams who some may recognise from his recent role as Noodles in Thalu; Cherry Rose Hubert who appeared in Red Dog: True Blue and also as Em in Thalu; and Sharliya Mowarin who also starred in Thalu as Lali.
They’re joined by natural chatterboxes and social butterflies making their on-screen debuts; Isaac Guinness, Toby Cedar, Haseem May and RJ Parker.
The quiet-natured Johnita Sandy, the tear-away teen Layne Smith – who can be seen on the local tracks any day of the week – and the natural leader and key contributor to the series, Penesha Wally, who played Vinka in Thalu, and makes her TV debut as the narrator of Red Dirt Riders, round out the cast of loveable locals.
“Red Dirt Riders is a delightful look at the adventures of the young First Nations people of Roebourne, as they share their lives, Country and culture with us,” said Screenwest Documentary Manager Paul Williams.
He added, “Tyson Mowarin along with producer Robyn Marais show the depth, heart and creativity documentary filmmakers can reveal when they have the trust of the community and commit to true collaboration.”
With a soundtrack partly produced in Roebourne in collaboration with Big hART, featuring beats made by local kids using GarageBand and Splice, the community spirit is ever-present throughout this heart-warming series which will leave a big impact following its small screen debut on ABC ME during NAIDOC week 2021 and again on NITV later in the year.
Written and produced by Robyn Marais, Red Dirt Riders has been created with support from ABC, NITV, Screenwest and Lotterywest, Screen Australia (PEP) and ACTF.
Red Dirt Riders premieres on ABC ME and ABC iview from 4.30pm on Monday 5 July during NAIDOC week.
More WA Titles to Check Out During NAIDOC Week!
Updated 9 July 2021.
Our Law – Netflix ANZ and SBS On Demand
Thalu – SBS On Demand
Bran Nue Dae – Stan, Netflix ANZ and Amazon Prime
Mad Bastards – Netflix ANZ
Mystery Road – ABC iView & Stan
Molly and Cara – SBS On Demand
KGB – ABC iView
Doug the Human – ABC iView
Connection to Country – SBS On Demand
About Weerianna Street Media
Based in Yirramagardu (Roebourne), Weerianna Street Media is a 100% Ngarluma owned and operated production company established by Tyson Mowarin in 2011.
Weerianna Street Media has eight solid years of producing innovative digital projects plus factual and drama content in Western Australia’s Pilbara.
Ngarluma country has provided a stunning location for all of Weerianna’s projects – with community participation and cultural heritage both hallmarks of the projects.
Their credits include including short documentary Undiscovered Country (2017), feature documentary Connection to Country (2017), slow TV project Marni (2019), and 10-part live action children’s drama series Thalu (2020).
Contact Screenwest
T: +61 8 6169 2100
E: info@screenwest.com.au
www.screenwest.com.au
www.filminwesternaustralia.com.au
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