First Nations Films
1:45
Centred on First Nations voices, culture and storytelling, this special collection brings together powerful films from Australia and Timor-Leste, curated by Erub and Larrakia woman Aaliyah Bradbury. Through stories of identity, community, Country, connection and self-determination, these films offer unique perspectives on the richness and diversity of First Nations experiences. Spanning generations, cultures and lived realities, this collection invites audiences to listen deeply, challenge assumptions and connect with stories that deserve to be seen and celebrated. A powerful celebration of Indigenous creativity and the enduring importance of storytelling, this package shines a light on voices, histories and futures.
Sione Teumohenga & Bella Waru | Australia | 2026 | 7 mins
A crew of Pasifika and First Nations people embark on a musical journey of reclamation, resistance and liberation, re-igniting ancient connections in a world of colonial urbanity. A visual companion to the EP of the same name by the Pasifika-First Nations musical collective FAMILI.
James Barahanos | Australia | 2025 | 35 mins
A Story About Voices is a participatory / hybrid documentary that follows Shell, a proud Australian Māori and LGBTQIA+ woman who calls herself “the luckiest schizophrenic in the world.” Emerging from the isolation and lows of psychosis, Shell invites the audience into her daily life as she lives with constant auditory hallucinations, recovery, and resilience. Through intimate moments with her family, friends, and the close bond she shares with her daughter, the film offers an honest and humane portrait of schizophrenia—one that educates through lived experience and challenges prejudice by foregrounding connection, identity, and hope.
Kimberley Benjamin | Australia | 2026 | 12 mins
Hilarious small-town hijinks ensue as a young queer Aboriginal woman, Lilah, falls head over heels for an apparently indifferent new colleague and puts her desire to the test, sparking a chaotic, heartfelt race to ask her to the NAIDOC Ball.
Rani Brown | Timor-Leste | 2025 | 1:00
Unstoppable Change is a documentary about emerging LGBTQIA+ rights and visibility in Timor-Leste. It amplifies Indigenous voices and captures the struggles and passion for change; including personal stories as told by three key activists who discuss the transformative role of Arcoiris, an NGO established as a safe space for LGBTQIA+ people in Dili, Timor-Leste. We meet the incredible people who began this space, learn about international human rights efforts, the impacts of colonisation and the way injustice is addressed through collective action. Timor Leste’s Transgender Marching Band takes us from Sydney World Pride, back to Timor-Leste’s Pride March, in a joyous celebration of international solidarity and this movement of Unstoppable Change.
Share
