BHP Billiton and the Australia Council for the Arts have united to support Newman-based Martu Media and Sydney-based cultural production company CuriousWorks in a production that aims to highlight cultural and creative similarities from coast to coast.
The films, produced by Desert Stories, featured at the Newman Film Festival last week.
BHP has contributed $100,000 to the project, while Australia Council for the Arts put $180,000 over two years towards it.
BHP will fund new equipment for Newman’s budding young filmmakers, and CuriousWorks will spend eight weeks in three Newman schools hosting multimedia and filmmaking workshops.
BHP Iron Ore president Ian Ashby described the company’s involvement in the project as an essential part of encouraging young people in remote communities.
“We like to involve ourselves in projects that will have ongoing benefits for the community. Projects like these are critical as they provide both a creative outlet and opportunities to unite and strengthen the community. We are proud to support CuriousWorks.”
Curtis Taylor is one of the members making up the Desert Stories crew set to tell his community’s story through the project.
“Our story has never been told properly. You’ve never heard our story and we want to tell it to you,” he said, adding that the project has given him a voice.
