Documentaries about the ups and downs of grassroots friendships between Timorese and Australians that have unfolded over sixty-seven years will be gradually introduced on this page over the next twelve months.
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FIRST RELEASE
ANZAC 25th April 2008: Recollections of a criado
Episode 1 - 4 have been posted. The First Encounter. (Dur: 3mins). The Japanese Invasion (Dur.7.5 mins) Buffalo Shooting Episode 3.1 & 3.2 (5 mins) Episode 4.1 Thy Wish (3 mins) 4.2 The Raid on Dili (5 mins)
Rufino’s story - Rufino do Correia says he was nine or eleven years old when Australian soldier Tom Nisbet took him along to help him fight against the Japanese in East Timor in 1942 and he became one of a select group of boys known famously as criados or servants of the Diggers. A rare insight into the perspective of an elder Timorese man whose humour, dignity and humility shine through his old face as he recollects his memories of this life-changing time.
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Timor Ponies in Pt Phillip A series of stories about Pt Phillip residents who have worked in solidarity with East Timor for up to 38 years. Later we will find out what drives people to stick with a cause for this long? Find out what they did, why, how and when and how they feel now about East Timor’s current situation. How it compares with their imagined ‘independence vision’ for East Timor. (2008) _
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The Circle of Stones - a story about grief and loss and a call for justice. Video documentary to be posted shortly. (April 2008)
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Truckloads for East Timor - a story about the Pt Phillip community’s first attempt at delivering help to their friends in Suai. (2002)
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Video Letters to Pt Phillip: From (the late) Father Armindo de Jesus (2000) From Roberto. Two songs from Armindio a young man who performed for my camera at Timor Aid in about August 2000. _____________________________________________________________________________
The Circle of Stones #2 - a story about solidarity, healing and empathy in St Kilda. (2001)
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Antonio Mendonca - A testimony from his family and the story of my poem. (Written in 2000)
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Black Bullion - A story about oil and Australia’s betrayal of East Timor. (2003) ________________________________________________________________________
Sergio’s story - a story in drawings and his own words about art, grief, hunger and loss from a young artist from Suai.
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Felix’s story - a story about traditional building and a senior man’s hopes for the future of Suai. (2000) __________________________________________________________________________
‘Returning the Tais‘ tells Veronica Pereira’s story and the role of culture in resistance and recovery. During her exile in Australia, Veronica discovered the power of her culture and creativity to attract media attention to East Timor’s problems. This is the story of a clever illiterate woman who uses traditional East Timorese culture to tell her stories. (2000)
In this story Veronica directs me and my camera to follow her through the organisation and performance of ‘Returning the Tais’ to Timor. Tais is the traditional cloth of East Timor and in an extraordinary act of love Veronica wove the names of 271 youth who died in the Santa Cruz Massacre into five tais. Each Tais takes many weeks to complete after the cotton has been dyed and prepared. Her husband Antonio, with the help of Rob Westley-Smith and others also built a traditional house. An exhibition of the tais and the house was mounted at Circular Quay, at the Museum of Contemporary Art in 1992. This story follows Veronical as she brings her work ‘home’ to Timor on the occasion of the 9th Anniversary of the Santa Cruz Massacre, and the 1st after Independence on 12th November, 1991.
More about the Tais by Sarah Niner
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Lee Lee - a story about friendship. (2000 - 2005) ______________________________________________________________________
The Art of Healing - Made for a community fundraiser in 2006 this little video showcases the music of Bibi Bulak, Arte Moris and some commentary from the youth of East Timor scrawled and painted on to public places in the form of graffiti, stencil art and straight public art.
Click on the thumbnail to see the video.
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‘Hangover’ - taking its name from the song of the same title, written and performed by a popular Timorese band Galaxy, this is an interview with the band’s leader Melli who talks about the role of music in democracy and resistance. __________________________________________________________________________
Ergilio’s story - tells the story of one young man and the dreams of the young people of Suai. (2000 - 2008) Letters to Suai: a series of letters to Suai written produced and directed by the documentary-maker.