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Back in July, the Indigenous Rights team launched our new film club, Firestick Flicks, as part of our NAIDOC celebrations.
This monthly film club aims to encourage Amnesty activists, staff, and supporters to watch First Nations films and documentaries, by providing supporting resources, discussion prompts, and reflections to foster deep learning and understanding on the path to reconciliation.
This month’s Firestick Flicks film is the Audrey Napanangka documentary film, which is available to stream for free on SBS on Demand.
Audrey Napanangka tells the story of Warlpiri matriarch Audrey, who was born at a time when the world was changing for the people in the Central Australian Desert. Settler colonisation was permeating the desert and forced changes and the fusion of two worlds shifted Audrey’s life forever.
Now in her 70’s, Audrey looks after her extended Warlpiri family from her home in Alice Springs with her Sicilian partner Santo, raising young people to walk in many worlds, by centering culture, language, and Lore in their lives alongside mainstream education. To Audrey it is important that the children can navigate and thrive in two worlds, know the language, laws and cultures of their Ancestors and their connection to the land and skies of the central desert that is their birthright.
The intimate footage filmed over 10 years in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Yuendumu and Audrey’s Warlpiri country Mount Theo, showcases a heartwarming story about the power of kinship and family in what is known as Australia. Through the life of Audrey, this documentary powerfully addresses themes relating to the ongoing impacts of colonisation and the resilience of Aboriginal peoples and cultures.
Discussion questions to get you thinking…
1. Why do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of Audrey’s generation play such an important role in First Nations families?
2. Why do you think that the Walpiri language is so important for Audrey’s cultural connection, and why do you think the right to learn one’s language was included as a fundamental right in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)?
3. Reflect on the family and kinship structure of Audrey’s family, and the differences in your own family structure. What are some of the distinctive differences? What are some important values that you see in the way that Audrey and Santos care for their family?
4. What are some of the forms of disadvantage that you noticed in the film? In what ways can these disadvantages affect opportunity – i.e. how does disadvantage affect a person’s ability to access health care or good food?
5. Why does Audrey prioritise taking her children and grandchildren to Walpiri Country? What do you think Audrey means in this statement:
“They came back and stay with me now those two kids. I will take them and show them their Dreamings with painting and dancing. That is really important for us. That really strong Dreaming belongs to the children. So they can know our Lore a long way into the future.”
Get involved: Ways to support First Nations communities:
- There are a number of ways you can take action and help Audrey and her community, including using the provided template to write to the NT Minister for Children and Families – more info here!
- Discuss AIA’s Raise the Age campaign, and encourage attendees to sign our petitions:
Get involved: Host your own film screening!
- Cosy option: Get together with your family and friends for a movie night at home
- Feeling a bit more social: Organise a screening for your group or local community!
SBS / NITV have produced a great resource to help with planning a big community film screening, available on their website via this link.
To maximise attendance and impact, it is helpful to:
- Combine the film screening with a meal or morning/afternoon tea, which also encourages people to stay on after the film to talk and take action
- Publicise your film screening well and try to draw in people from outside Amnesty circles, using social media, email lists, posters, leaflets etc
- Partnering with other groups or organisations helps spread the workload and brings in a broader audience. Councils, libraries and Tourist Information centres can all be useful partners with the ability to promote it widely
Resources
Feeling peckish?
If you are looking for snacks and beverages for your film screening, these are some First Nations businesses that you could try:
- Yaala Sparkling Water
- Yaru Mineral Water
- Jala Jala chocolate
- Indigiearth spices to sprinkle on your popcorn, or relishes for a grazing platter
- Binjang Tea
- Blak Brews
- Mabu Mabu hot chocolate
- Sobah Beverages
Looking for a venue?
You could have a look around your local area to see whether there are any First Nations cafes or restaurants who may be able to cater for your film screening.
Let us know how it went!
If you hosted a film screening, please fill in this Event Form and let us know how it went!
Feel free to email any photos to activism@amnesty.org.au
Safeguarding the well-being of yourself and others
Campaigning for human rights can be difficult. Burnout and vicarious trauma can happen and it’s important to keep a look out for the signs in yourself and your friends. You can check out our Sustainable Activism & Self Care guide as a starting point to ensure that you are looking after yourself and others while doing this important work. It examines how we can better take care of ourselves as activists and what you can do to make sure your activism is sustainable!
As a global movement of 10 million people, and 500,000 people in Australia, Amnesty International has the people power to build public support for a Human Rights Act. Learn more about what are human rights and our Human Rights Act campaign work.
