- Five
short documentaries based on State Library stories to be released August 2nd
- Films
produced by Screenwest through a $75,000 State Government grant
- WA
Reflections initiative now in its second year
A new collection of fascinating WA
documentaries produced through the State Library of Western Australia and
Screenwest's WA Reflections partnership has launched today.
The films are made possible through a $75,000 investment
by the State Government, allowing Western Australian filmmakers to produce documentaries
of up to five minutes in duration.
The five short documentaries creatively use the
State Library's Western Australian collection of diaries, journals, photographs
and personal audio and video recordings to bring to life and share unique
stories from Western Australia's history.
This season's documentaries delve into:
- Kimberley
legend Sam Lovell and his adventurous, trailblazing life
- Fears of Russian
invasion and espionage through the sleepy lens of 1900s Albany
- A meditation
on WA's Chinese migrant community through
Mahjong
- A devoted
sound recordist's incredible collection of WA birdsongs
- The longest
running LGBTQIA+ nightclub in the Southern Hemisphere
Each film will also be presented at the State
Library Theatre as part of a series of free community screenings and panel
discussions in the State Library Theatre, enabling each film to be discussed by
filmmakers and experts. The screenings will kick off with The Rules of Mahjong on 10 August 2023 and continue monthly until December 2023.
From August 4, all five WA Reflections films will
be available to view on the State Library's 2023 WA Reflections website: https://slwa.wa.gov.au/stories/wa-history/wa-reflections-2023,
or the State Library's Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/statelibrarywa/videos
Dates for the five community screenings are
below. Registration is via the State Library website.
Thursday, 10 August – The Rules of
Mahjong
In search of cultural identity
through the game of Mahjong.
Thursday, 7 September 6:30pm – 8:00pm – The
Tale of Mr Kimberley
He is known by the people as
Mr Kimberley, but his mates just call him Sam. Sam Lovell has a tale to tell. He
was part of the stolen generation, became a master stockman running cattle in
wild landscapes and came to be known as the father of tourism in the Kimberley.
Thursday, 5 October 6:30pm – 8:00pm – Russian
Spy
A Russian-Australian
Cinematographer travels to Albany to discover when the town at the end of the
world was put on high alert by the threat of Russian Invasion.
Thursday, 2 November 6:30pm – 8:00pm – Connies
The history of the iconic
Connections Nightclub, through
the eyes of a first-time clubgoer and the mouths of a few regulars.
Thursday, 7 December 6:30pm – 8:00pm – Sound
Twitcher
Tuning in to the birdsong
recordings of auditory adventurer John Hutchinson.
Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"The joint WA Reflections initiative is now in
its second year. These short documentary films are a fantastic way to bring the
State Library's collections to life, further preserving these Western Australian
stories for generations to come.
"The WA Reflections
documentary series continues to uncover and celebrate fascinating, quirky and
powerful elements of Western Australian history.
"This partnership
empowers filmmakers to continue telling Western Australian stories while
providing an avenue for the State Library's rich Western Australian collection
to reach new audiences."
