Not all black and white
The Age
Friday February 19, 2010
Blak Nite Cinema returns to Treasury Gardens, writes Craig Mathieson. I T HAS been a banner 12 months for indigenous filmmaking, with films such as Warwick Thornton's Samson and Delilah, musical Bran Nue Dae and comedy Stone Bros, but that's just a sample of what audiences can see, according to actor Aaron Pedersen."It's not a matter of whether there's more of it or less of it," says the actor, most recently seen on City Homicide and The Circuit. "What there is are more opportunities for people to make these films and more avenues for these films to be seen."You can get a sense of the talent welling up at this year's Blak Nite Cinema, an annual event showcasing indigenous and indigenous-themed filmmaking over two nights at the Treasury Gardens. Both bills are free and Pedersen, who will be MC, is enthusiastic about the possibilities."People get an opportunity to take away something positive," he says. "It's an opportunity for them to re-inform and re-educate themselves. At the end of the day, filmmaking is about entertainment but with the structure of education in this country, a lot of people have been let down in regards to educating them about indigenous Australians."The bills are eclectic, with three titles each night. Audiences can see Green Bush (tomorrow), a wry 2005 short by Samson and Delilah director Thornton, or the powerful incarceration documentary Mad Morro (tonight, pictured), from director Kelrick Martin."There's a fine line with indigenous Australia - there's a serious element and a comedy element," Pedersen says. "There's great humour in oppressed people ... History tells us it's been pretty hard, so having a night that shows how much comedy exists in our lives is important, too."Blak Nite Cinema screens tonight and tomorrow night at Treasury Gardens. For more information, see thatsmelbourne.com.au/whatson.
© 2010 The Age