November 19, 2024 • 21 mins
In Part 2 of our conversation on the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I continue my yarn with Sal Balharrie and Dannielle Maclean, the directors behind the moving film Like My Brother. This episode dives deeper into the complexities of creating a film that resonates with community values and represents the voices of young Tiwi women navigating their ambitions in football while staying rooted in cultural identity.
Sal and Dannielle share stories from the film’s seven-year journey, highlighting pivotal moments, including their dedication to obtaining cultural approvals and their partnership with Tiwi co-producers. We discuss how the film evolved from what they thought would be a “footy film” into an exploration of resilience, identity, and the strength required to walk proudly in two worlds. The conversation also touches on the trust built with the featured women and the life-changing experiences they faced, from the joy of winning grand finals to the lessons of returning home empowered with new perspectives.
Join us for this inspiring yarn that underscores the power of storytelling, the resilience of Indigenous communities, and why films like Like My Brother are essential gifts that can change perspectives and bridge divides. Don’t miss it!
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The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Black cast, Unite our voices. Black Magic Women Podcast acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land we have recorded this
episode on. We also acknowledge traditional owners of the land
where you, the listener of youer are tuning in from.
We would like to pay our respects to our elders
past and present and acknowledged that this always was Aboriginal
(00:25):
land and always will be Aboriginal land.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I think the thing as well is that we set
up we thought that we were making a footy film.
This is not a footy film. This is a film
exactly about what you're saying, about what it takes to
walk proudly into worlds.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Welcome to the Black Magic Woman Podcast with Mondonara Bales.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Welcome back to Mondinara's Yarn with Sal and Dannielle. We
pick up where we left off. Sal tells us about
a powerful moment she experienced during a screening of Like
My Brother last night. I sat next to Rena, Rena,
Maureen Aarthena, Maureen, extraordinary young woman. And you know, of
course I've come to I've spent seven years of like
(01:16):
when I meet these girls, they're fifteen sixteen now the
young women Mother's Arena is not a mother, but like,
I was sitting beside Rena last night and her legs
were bouncing like this, and I just kept putting my
hand gently on her leg. She was so nervous, her
old body was shaking. And then it was just sort
of leaning into her and really watched the film through
(01:38):
her eyes. And it was like, you know, I've been
with her, I've been behind the camera the whole time,
but last night I was just like far out. I
asked so much of you. You have given me so much,
you know, to see her face and three stories high
and she's and she's just like, oh, she's so lovely.
(02:02):
But what was so interesting in the process, and this
was the big education for like a distributor. So when
you make a feature film, it's a massive legals, isn't
it Like when you're dealing with this paperwork, the paperwork,
the paper chain. Nobody as an artist, nobody can prepare
(02:24):
you for the paperwork that goes into a film. And
obviously working in a film in this space, the protocols
and the approval processes, you know, make everybody nervous. And
so the approval process for the cultural approval was to
(02:48):
be undertaken by Tammy and Ticky and Shane, the tv
CO producers, and they own we own the film is
shared between my company and their company, which is fantastic.
So this is a proper partnership, totally absolute proper partnership.
They we own half the copyright together, they own, we
own the film. Is you know, a shared film between
(03:09):
us and but with the cultural stuff, you know, distributor
is doing the right thing. Everyone's like, well, that's just
something that signs off and they've been on the bot
and you know, so we had a you have a
piece of paper that has to be signed. And I
always know with these guys when things happened very quickly,
(03:29):
it's good when people go quiet. I'm like, I got
a problem here, and I hadn't heard from the guys
for a couple of days. So I send it through
again and I don't hear again. And that was really
because they didn't know how to have the conversation with me,
and because there was a sense of feeling uncomfortable that
they were signing on behalf of the tea week people without.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Everyone were back to community.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So I was like, so guys, you're asking, you're saying
to me that I've got to go and get two
and a half thousand signatures on this piece of paper
and they're like, well yeah. I went, well, okay, we've
got a problem. What are we going to what are
we going to do because we're not going to get that.
And it was actually Tammy, who's the genius. I'm like
Tammy for President because she's just genius human. She said, well,
(04:16):
you know what, We've got three elders that are involved
in this, and what we can do is we can
have one elder for language, one elder for country, and
one elder for culture. I was like, oh, that's so fantastic.
So what that meant was we've kind of like we've
(04:37):
shared the responsibility, but we've shared it with the right
people and then everyone's happy. It's like.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
To work with the community.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
So we did get notes and stuff too, you know,
and them on bought. You know, that's the thing. It's
not like this one why someone's just signing off on something.
It's like, listen to what people have to say. You
actually have the conversation and okay, I just if you
have to.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Because there's that beautiful sing where Mary Maureen Arina's grandmother
speaks in language, and Marius, we had that, we had
and she's she's the part in the little scene in
the film is she's explaining why language is important. She says,
they have to know themselves who they are. They have
to be able to speak their language. And when they
(05:23):
go to Melbourne they speak in language, but in English.
But when they come back here they speak t wee.
My kids speak te wee so proudly, and so she
speaks te wee. She's got a little baby on the floor,
he's wrapped in a blanket.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
And telling him about the camera. Actually in sad you know,
get up because the camera can see you.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But she and she says, God, put your trousers on.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, So we had that Gon put your trousers on
because the camera's here, you can come and speak to
the camera. We had that on screen because Tiki, I
think it had translated it and Marius said, I don't
want that there because that that that that's you know,
it's an easy it's an easy gag, and I leave
it and sometimes don't put a subtitle. And the you know,
(06:04):
the producers were like, but that's funny, and we're like, no,
the elder doesn't want that there. So it's and it's
actually beautiful because what I'm what I love is people
are saying what is she saying?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
You know, which is lovely of the personal inside thing
and you hear the language and she says then in English,
my kids speaking tew and stuff, So you hear the language.
You didn't not get there exactly what she's saying.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So with this film, these beautiful women that have given
so much of their time their life and coming to Melbourne.
They play in the a f L the w A
f L. Are they living here?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
This is a spoiler.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
We can't let you know. These two different worlds, this
black fellow world, average world, te wee world, and there's
mainstream white falla western world, so different, right, and bringing
them together in terms of these young women coming here
(07:08):
to Melbourne, getting on that plane, staying in these hotels,
interacting with different people, how has that been if you
can't tell us, how has it been with these women
in terms of just navigating the teewee world, leaving community, coming.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Here for football or for the film, for the film,
for the film.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
We're not going to spoil the film, right, but.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
They do come to Melbourne. But yes, for the film.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think like there was a challenge around football grand
final and missing out. Obviously one of the girls actually
didn't come to the film festival because she had two
grand finals and one both of them and you know
stage she actually traveled from Baranga, so the finals in
Catherine and then flew to Darwin or drove to day
and probably and then flew to Tewei to play the
(07:57):
second grand final one both of them she beat the
other team that you know, so we had some sad
girls here in album I've excited. Yeah, but the girls
I think they really enjoyed it, like I mean mifted.
The Melbourne International Film Festival looked after us. We all
got to say in a flash hotel, you know, really
close to the screetings and stuff, and I think we
all felt like, you know, it was really special, you know,
(08:19):
bringing children with them and stuff too, and felt you know,
I think they just felt proud of what they'd actually
been able to achieve. Now they shared this story and
that were brave enough to do that. Yeah, and it's
you know, it's quite a long it's been a long
journey for them and to I think last night they
actually said that you know, yes, we waited seven years
for this.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah. I think the thing as well is that we
set out, we thought that we were making a footy film.
This is not a footy film. This is a film
exactly about what you're saying about what it takes to
walk proudly in two worlds. But what you come to
(08:59):
realize is that's not just about blackfells walking proudly here,
because this film explores so many cultural aspects, it's actually
more about what it takes for white fellaws to work.
Like I would love it that we don't have a
black world and a white world. I would love it
that we come together and we have a respect and
(09:21):
understanding for all that we're bringing, and that we can
walk away from that and still have, you know, respect
for our cultures like that. But I think that that
was you know, one of the things that really struck
me was, and you know this is to our earlier
conversation about kids coming down to school or you know,
where kids go to school from community, is that I
(09:44):
was constantly surprised when football clubs said, oh, we're so amazed.
We thought we were giving them, we've actually learned more
than they've learn And I'm like, what do you what
do you mean, Like, what do you mean? Like, you know,
it was just.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
The exchange of cultural knowledge that's been gifted to a
lot of white Australians, non over people. Yeah, Purple are
surprise and.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
They are brilliance on the bloody football. Oh my god,
I mean Rena's do go and see the film just
for Rena's what tell those girls.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
How our listens and our viewers now what the film's called.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
The film is called Like My Brother, and it follows
four young tee wee women on their quest to play
professional footy and what that takes and the costs that
that that comes what it comes at. But I think
most importantly it's about daring to dream and that's what
when the girls have had interviews over the last few days,
(10:41):
what they're most proud about is debt is inspiring not
just not tee wee women, but inspiring girls from That's
exactly what they've been saying.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Remote communities, you know, like just to actually understand what
it takes to leave your community, be brave, put yourself
out there.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
And they're all saying the same.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Thing, take the take the risk, a company, come and
have a go, you know, like because they have grown
over this period and we didn't want to spoil the
film and stuff. But they're back at home and they
are actually living amazing lives, you know, like their mothers,
and they're got amazing.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Talking about this earlier, weren't we because we talk about
how a brain, a brain expanded through opportunity, never goes
back to the same dimension. So these girls, you could say, oh,
it's just a coincidence that these four girls, when you
think about how scarce jobs are in community, these four
(11:36):
girls have gone back and they've got amazing jobs. So,
for example, Juliana is an assistant teacher. Jess is working
in the local cracee. She's been doing that for sort
of two years now. Frido is a police liaison officer.
She's just undertaken her training in Alice and now she's
going back. She's saying last night she's doing more online
(11:57):
training for the next six months. And Rena, Reena's going
to Rena's amazing, she is. The girls are amazing. But
Rina's job at the moment, she is working to be
training to be a director of Jelamara Gallery. Well, I'm
saying that Jelamara because she will be one day, but
at the moment. She's a gallery assistant. She's a beautiful
artist in her own right. Her grandfather's Timothy Cook, so
(12:20):
she comes from artist's royalty. But you know, those girls
know what it takes to be disciplined and as in
being a young mum and what it takes to get
out the door and earn, earn. It's hard. It's hard
for those girls. Yeah, And I think what Sale was
talking hard for all the old single months, you know, mums,
(12:41):
young moms.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Daring to dream and stuff too. And you know you
talk about you know, this film being made over seven years.
The interesting thing I was talking to Sell about today
too is that actually giving investing time into people. And
so because this film happened over a long period of time,
you're able to capture you know, the positive stuff over
and people interested in your life over seven years. I
(13:03):
think that actually added to this life story as well.
And then building as people and you know, growing as
young women. You know, we we see them grow over
the film. You know, it is a coming of age
film and stuff too, but you just see you see
them as little girls and then but brave young girls.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
But we do explore some dark stuff as well.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
There is things that are touched on that aren't necessarily
on screen as well, so you know there's more to
the story and you know that, you know there are challenges,
and there are challenges that the girl's face and there
are you know, I think that that's.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
What makes it richer. Though. We have a big get
out of jail card as well, which is COVID.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Oh yes, that happened in the middle of all this, And.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I mean the biggest thing is the girls were waiting
for a phone call that didn't come. And I can't
say about the spoiler of that, but you know, audience
wanted to know did that phone call ever come? And
the girls are very honest about that, you know, and
that's that was tough for those girls. You know, that's
that there's But in the same like this is what
(14:05):
we talk about.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
The film is really positive because those skills use these experience,
they pick themselves up and they keep going.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You know, the resilience of your mob high.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
You know, I'm like sitting in now going this film,
We've got to go.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
And watch it. Going back to your kids as the
kids thing as well, We've really I'm really excited by
We're doing a big educational Commerson. It has to be
through a company called cool dot Org. Yeah, big shout
(14:39):
out to those guys because the work they're doing is
just chef's Kiss, so fantastic. But that will be for
year nine and ten kids across Australia.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
So Ties into the Curriculum is able to be accessed
by one hundred and seventy five thousand teachers in Australia.
So I in the very beginning, I was like, oh, man,
imagine if we could get you twelve kids, like if
this could be on the VC curriculum. Yes. So the
first three units are tied into English and they talk
(15:09):
about plot, theme and characters. So you know to think
that Rina, Jess Frieda, Juliana as characters, what are their obstacles?
I mean, how amazing is that?
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Well, that's now an average perspective innolescent plans that a
lot of abstable kids who are at school can finally
see themselves represented. This is also the.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Opposite white kids going or multicultural Australians. It's going this
is what it's like to be an Aboriginal kid, and
I can understand what they're going through. And also like,
one of the things I love about the film is
these girls. You just it's the humanity of the audience
cares about them, We want them to win, and you know,
I think that's the heart of the film. Is the
(15:53):
amazing part of the film as well. It's like people
care about them, want and I think that's what we
have to care about.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
It all come out to us in cinema last night.
I had this woman coming out. I felt like I
had to, you know, put my around her and give
her a hug. Ive never met this one before. She's like,
I'm an English teacher and I just will I be
able to teach my children. I'm like, yeah, you will.
It's okay, that's hard, It's gonna be great. Yeah, she
just said. I kept crying. I kept crying.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
There's so many you know, there is some really heartfelt
moments in the film, but there's so many positive, uplifting moments.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
That's what's been great being. I mean, you know, somebody
said to me last night, you can go to another sky.
I'm like, quite, because when we were crafting, when you
craft a story, and you know, Dan and I you
literally have wall like this, you have scene cards and
it's a docco so it's not you know, you're not
making it up. We're looking at the food of the
(16:44):
real life. You're working with real life. And we'll go,
you know, we will. We should talk about talk about Nana.
So introduced Nana as a character.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It's really hard because you know, we all care about
this lady and the journey of the film. You know,
there's some sad things that happened to her, but Frieda's Nana,
Nana Aileen.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
She just guides.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
She's this guiding force through the film and you really
love and care for her.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
And it's hard at the end of the film.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
But we actually, without spoiling the film, we got to
film a pook money ceremony, which is the ceremony that
happens after a funeral maybe a year later, and it's
to finish the morning period and not that's the thing
about access and family and stuff too.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
They wanted us there.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
I mean, Ticki, the producer, went and talked to the
family and they were happy for us to be there.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Obviously I directed that.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
We're very aware that, you know, we didn't want to
get in the way and anyway when we really respectful. But
it's a really beautiful scene because it feels like you're
there and you're.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Wiz mob, you know, and you're just such a privilege
and Marius or Ruaney, Brin Tadam Mary, he explains what
pooker money is and that it's that his description. It's
so he's so wonderful. Dan just did the most Like
I'm in Melbourne watching this unfold and like, you just
(18:01):
did the most amazing job. I don't know how you
got him to explain that, but he says, or how
you got did you give him that? I would love
to know the leading questions because he goes so in
western way and I was like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
It was just just brilliant talent though, you know, elder
to elder who actually is used to actually bringing more
people from outside.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
He's an interpreter.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, he knows here to understand their culture. And he
was so open and stuff. I didn't do anything magic.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
He was too beautiful. And his face last night, like
his face is literally the whole screen. It's so beautifully shot.
And yeah, and it's really interesting. Like I think the
biggest takeaway I've had from people who've seen the film
is like I feel like I have just been given
this gift of a culture that I didn't know was
(18:53):
there for me to access Like Australian, there's no sign
saying stay out. You know, it's it's there if we
ask the right questions. This depth and this wonder and
this culture is there for us. All mother was so
happy to share, aren't they really?
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Yeah? I agree. I'm sitting here going my camera's going
to die soon. Yeah, we could be yearning about well, really,
you know, what do you want in terms of for
Australians to take from this film? And I just you
kind of answered the question I wanted to ask next,
is that this is a gift. To see it as
(19:32):
a gift, to receive it as a gift, and what
you do with that gift is up to you.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
But it should.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Actually help change the relationship in this country that is
long overdue between wide and Black Australia, Indigenous and non Indigenous.
We need to come together and these films need to
be created and need to be accessible to the public.
I can't wait to see it, and I'm so excited
that I actually had the opportunity to hear from both
(19:58):
of you about this film that most of us are
still waiting to see. So can I just quickly say
in terms of the women that feature in this film,
I would love to get them on the podcast and
I can zum them on and we can actually talk
to them more in depth. We might all be able
to get on. I'd love to go the tea Wee
(20:18):
Islands day. Could that be a thing? I can't wait? Well,
thank you so much, Thank you so much for coming
in and just being so I don't know, I just
like feel like I've been gifted this story now that
I can't wait to watch. I'm gonna tomorrow. I'll be
looking for this story, this film counting down to the
seventeenth of October. Everyone that's watching this podcast or even
(20:42):
listening to this yarn, make sure you go and see
like my brother, I knew it straight because.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
After that, brother, And if you want a T shirt,
go online, because I'm about to take it down because
I've got so many orders to adcome cope and I'm
making them myself.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
There you go, so are you?
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Mom?
Speaker 1 (21:00):
I just want to say, I hope you've enjoyed there's
deadly yarn with these dead women, and I'm sure there's
more that you're gonna hear about in the future. So
until next time. Bye for now. If you'd like any
more info on today's guest, please visit our show notes
in the episode description. A big shout out to all
you Deadly Mob and allies who continue to listen, watch,
(21:23):
and support our podcast. Your feedback means the world. You
can rate and review the podcast on Apple and Spotify,
or even head to our socials and YouTube channel and
drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you.
The Black Magic Woman podcast is produced by Clint Curtis.
Black cast, Unite our voices. Black Magic Women Podcast acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land we have recorded this
episode on. We also acknowledge traditional owners of the land
where you, the listener of youer are tuning in from.
We would like to pay our respects to our elders
past and present and acknowledged that this always was Aboriginal
(00:25):
land and always will be Aboriginal land.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I think the thing as well is that we set
up we thought that we were making a footy film.
This is not a footy film. This is a film
exactly about what you're saying, about what it takes to
walk proudly into worlds.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Welcome to the Black Magic Woman Podcast with Mondonara Bales.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Welcome back to Mondinara's Yarn with Sal and Dannielle. We
pick up where we left off. Sal tells us about
a powerful moment she experienced during a screening of Like
My Brother last night. I sat next to Rena, Rena,
Maureen Aarthena, Maureen, extraordinary young woman. And you know, of
course I've come to I've spent seven years of like
(01:16):
when I meet these girls, they're fifteen sixteen now the
young women Mother's Arena is not a mother, but like,
I was sitting beside Rena last night and her legs
were bouncing like this, and I just kept putting my
hand gently on her leg. She was so nervous, her
old body was shaking. And then it was just sort
of leaning into her and really watched the film through
(01:38):
her eyes. And it was like, you know, I've been
with her, I've been behind the camera the whole time,
but last night I was just like far out. I
asked so much of you. You have given me so much,
you know, to see her face and three stories high
and she's and she's just like, oh, she's so lovely.
(02:02):
But what was so interesting in the process, and this
was the big education for like a distributor. So when
you make a feature film, it's a massive legals, isn't
it Like when you're dealing with this paperwork, the paperwork,
the paper chain. Nobody as an artist, nobody can prepare
(02:24):
you for the paperwork that goes into a film. And
obviously working in a film in this space, the protocols
and the approval processes, you know, make everybody nervous. And
so the approval process for the cultural approval was to
(02:48):
be undertaken by Tammy and Ticky and Shane, the tv
CO producers, and they own we own the film is
shared between my company and their company, which is fantastic.
So this is a proper partnership, totally absolute proper partnership.
They we own half the copyright together, they own, we
own the film. Is you know, a shared film between
(03:09):
us and but with the cultural stuff, you know, distributor
is doing the right thing. Everyone's like, well, that's just
something that signs off and they've been on the bot
and you know, so we had a you have a
piece of paper that has to be signed. And I
always know with these guys when things happened very quickly,
(03:29):
it's good when people go quiet. I'm like, I got
a problem here, and I hadn't heard from the guys
for a couple of days. So I send it through
again and I don't hear again. And that was really
because they didn't know how to have the conversation with me,
and because there was a sense of feeling uncomfortable that
they were signing on behalf of the tea week people without.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Everyone were back to community.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So I was like, so guys, you're asking, you're saying
to me that I've got to go and get two
and a half thousand signatures on this piece of paper
and they're like, well yeah. I went, well, okay, we've
got a problem. What are we going to what are
we going to do because we're not going to get that.
And it was actually Tammy, who's the genius. I'm like
Tammy for President because she's just genius human. She said, well,
(04:16):
you know what, We've got three elders that are involved
in this, and what we can do is we can
have one elder for language, one elder for country, and
one elder for culture. I was like, oh, that's so fantastic.
So what that meant was we've kind of like we've
(04:37):
shared the responsibility, but we've shared it with the right
people and then everyone's happy. It's like.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
To work with the community.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
So we did get notes and stuff too, you know,
and them on bought. You know, that's the thing. It's
not like this one why someone's just signing off on something.
It's like, listen to what people have to say. You
actually have the conversation and okay, I just if you
have to.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Because there's that beautiful sing where Mary Maureen Arina's grandmother
speaks in language, and Marius, we had that, we had
and she's she's the part in the little scene in
the film is she's explaining why language is important. She says,
they have to know themselves who they are. They have
to be able to speak their language. And when they
(05:23):
go to Melbourne they speak in language, but in English.
But when they come back here they speak t wee.
My kids speak te wee so proudly, and so she
speaks te wee. She's got a little baby on the floor,
he's wrapped in a blanket.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
And telling him about the camera. Actually in sad you know,
get up because the camera can see you.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But she and she says, God, put your trousers on.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, So we had that Gon put your trousers on
because the camera's here, you can come and speak to
the camera. We had that on screen because Tiki, I
think it had translated it and Marius said, I don't
want that there because that that that that's you know,
it's an easy it's an easy gag, and I leave
it and sometimes don't put a subtitle. And the you know,
(06:04):
the producers were like, but that's funny, and we're like, no,
the elder doesn't want that there. So it's and it's
actually beautiful because what I'm what I love is people
are saying what is she saying?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
You know, which is lovely of the personal inside thing
and you hear the language and she says then in English,
my kids speaking tew and stuff, So you hear the language.
You didn't not get there exactly what she's saying.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So with this film, these beautiful women that have given
so much of their time their life and coming to Melbourne.
They play in the a f L the w A
f L. Are they living here?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
This is a spoiler.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
We can't let you know. These two different worlds, this
black fellow world, average world, te wee world, and there's
mainstream white falla western world, so different, right, and bringing
them together in terms of these young women coming here
(07:08):
to Melbourne, getting on that plane, staying in these hotels,
interacting with different people, how has that been if you
can't tell us, how has it been with these women
in terms of just navigating the teewee world, leaving community, coming.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Here for football or for the film, for the film,
for the film.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
We're not going to spoil the film, right, but.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
They do come to Melbourne. But yes, for the film.
Speaker 3 (07:36):
I think like there was a challenge around football grand
final and missing out. Obviously one of the girls actually
didn't come to the film festival because she had two
grand finals and one both of them and you know
stage she actually traveled from Baranga, so the finals in
Catherine and then flew to Darwin or drove to day
and probably and then flew to Tewei to play the
(07:57):
second grand final one both of them she beat the
other team that you know, so we had some sad
girls here in album I've excited. Yeah, but the girls
I think they really enjoyed it, like I mean mifted.
The Melbourne International Film Festival looked after us. We all
got to say in a flash hotel, you know, really
close to the screetings and stuff, and I think we
all felt like, you know, it was really special, you know,
(08:19):
bringing children with them and stuff too, and felt you know,
I think they just felt proud of what they'd actually
been able to achieve. Now they shared this story and
that were brave enough to do that. Yeah, and it's
you know, it's quite a long it's been a long
journey for them and to I think last night they
actually said that you know, yes, we waited seven years
for this.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
Yeah. I think the thing as well is that we
set out, we thought that we were making a footy film.
This is not a footy film. This is a film
exactly about what you're saying about what it takes to
walk proudly in two worlds. But what you come to
(08:59):
realize is that's not just about blackfells walking proudly here,
because this film explores so many cultural aspects, it's actually
more about what it takes for white fellaws to work.
Like I would love it that we don't have a
black world and a white world. I would love it
that we come together and we have a respect and
(09:21):
understanding for all that we're bringing, and that we can
walk away from that and still have, you know, respect
for our cultures like that. But I think that that
was you know, one of the things that really struck
me was, and you know this is to our earlier
conversation about kids coming down to school or you know,
where kids go to school from community, is that I
(09:44):
was constantly surprised when football clubs said, oh, we're so amazed.
We thought we were giving them, we've actually learned more
than they've learn And I'm like, what do you what
do you mean, Like, what do you mean? Like, you know,
it was just.
Speaker 1 (09:57):
The exchange of cultural knowledge that's been gifted to a
lot of white Australians, non over people. Yeah, Purple are
surprise and.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
They are brilliance on the bloody football. Oh my god,
I mean Rena's do go and see the film just
for Rena's what tell those girls.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
How our listens and our viewers now what the film's called.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
The film is called Like My Brother, and it follows
four young tee wee women on their quest to play
professional footy and what that takes and the costs that
that that comes what it comes at. But I think
most importantly it's about daring to dream and that's what
when the girls have had interviews over the last few days,
(10:41):
what they're most proud about is debt is inspiring not
just not tee wee women, but inspiring girls from That's
exactly what they've been saying.
Speaker 3 (10:53):
Remote communities, you know, like just to actually understand what
it takes to leave your community, be brave, put yourself
out there.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
And they're all saying the same.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Thing, take the take the risk, a company, come and
have a go, you know, like because they have grown
over this period and we didn't want to spoil the
film and stuff. But they're back at home and they
are actually living amazing lives, you know, like their mothers,
and they're got amazing.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Talking about this earlier, weren't we because we talk about
how a brain, a brain expanded through opportunity, never goes
back to the same dimension. So these girls, you could say, oh,
it's just a coincidence that these four girls, when you
think about how scarce jobs are in community, these four
(11:36):
girls have gone back and they've got amazing jobs. So,
for example, Juliana is an assistant teacher. Jess is working
in the local cracee. She's been doing that for sort
of two years now. Frido is a police liaison officer.
She's just undertaken her training in Alice and now she's
going back. She's saying last night she's doing more online
(11:57):
training for the next six months. And Rena, Reena's going
to Rena's amazing, she is. The girls are amazing. But
Rina's job at the moment, she is working to be
training to be a director of Jelamara Gallery. Well, I'm
saying that Jelamara because she will be one day, but
at the moment. She's a gallery assistant. She's a beautiful
artist in her own right. Her grandfather's Timothy Cook, so
(12:20):
she comes from artist's royalty. But you know, those girls
know what it takes to be disciplined and as in
being a young mum and what it takes to get
out the door and earn, earn. It's hard. It's hard
for those girls. Yeah, And I think what Sale was
talking hard for all the old single months, you know, mums,
(12:41):
young moms.
Speaker 3 (12:42):
Daring to dream and stuff too. And you know you
talk about you know, this film being made over seven years.
The interesting thing I was talking to Sell about today
too is that actually giving investing time into people. And
so because this film happened over a long period of time,
you're able to capture you know, the positive stuff over
and people interested in your life over seven years. I
(13:03):
think that actually added to this life story as well.
And then building as people and you know, growing as
young women. You know, we we see them grow over
the film. You know, it is a coming of age
film and stuff too, but you just see you see
them as little girls and then but brave young girls.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
But we do explore some dark stuff as well.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
There is things that are touched on that aren't necessarily
on screen as well, so you know there's more to
the story and you know that, you know there are challenges,
and there are challenges that the girl's face and there
are you know, I think that that's.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
What makes it richer. Though. We have a big get
out of jail card as well, which is COVID.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
Oh yes, that happened in the middle of all this, And.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I mean the biggest thing is the girls were waiting
for a phone call that didn't come. And I can't
say about the spoiler of that, but you know, audience
wanted to know did that phone call ever come? And
the girls are very honest about that, you know, and
that's that was tough for those girls. You know, that's
that there's But in the same like this is what
(14:05):
we talk about.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
The film is really positive because those skills use these experience,
they pick themselves up and they keep going.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You know, the resilience of your mob high.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
You know, I'm like sitting in now going this film,
We've got to go.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
And watch it. Going back to your kids as the
kids thing as well, We've really I'm really excited by
We're doing a big educational Commerson. It has to be
through a company called cool dot Org. Yeah, big shout
(14:39):
out to those guys because the work they're doing is
just chef's Kiss, so fantastic. But that will be for
year nine and ten kids across Australia.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
So Ties into the Curriculum is able to be accessed
by one hundred and seventy five thousand teachers in Australia.
So I in the very beginning, I was like, oh, man,
imagine if we could get you twelve kids, like if
this could be on the VC curriculum. Yes. So the
first three units are tied into English and they talk
(15:09):
about plot, theme and characters. So you know to think
that Rina, Jess Frieda, Juliana as characters, what are their obstacles?
I mean, how amazing is that?
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Well, that's now an average perspective innolescent plans that a
lot of abstable kids who are at school can finally
see themselves represented. This is also the.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Opposite white kids going or multicultural Australians. It's going this
is what it's like to be an Aboriginal kid, and
I can understand what they're going through. And also like,
one of the things I love about the film is
these girls. You just it's the humanity of the audience
cares about them, We want them to win, and you know,
I think that's the heart of the film. Is the
(15:53):
amazing part of the film as well. It's like people
care about them, want and I think that's what we
have to care about.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
It all come out to us in cinema last night.
I had this woman coming out. I felt like I
had to, you know, put my around her and give
her a hug. Ive never met this one before. She's like,
I'm an English teacher and I just will I be
able to teach my children. I'm like, yeah, you will.
It's okay, that's hard, It's gonna be great. Yeah, she
just said. I kept crying. I kept crying.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
There's so many you know, there is some really heartfelt
moments in the film, but there's so many positive, uplifting moments.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
That's what's been great being. I mean, you know, somebody
said to me last night, you can go to another sky.
I'm like, quite, because when we were crafting, when you
craft a story, and you know, Dan and I you
literally have wall like this, you have scene cards and
it's a docco so it's not you know, you're not
making it up. We're looking at the food of the
(16:44):
real life. You're working with real life. And we'll go,
you know, we will. We should talk about talk about Nana.
So introduced Nana as a character.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
It's really hard because you know, we all care about
this lady and the journey of the film. You know,
there's some sad things that happened to her, but Frieda's Nana,
Nana Aileen.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
She just guides.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
She's this guiding force through the film and you really
love and care for her.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
And it's hard at the end of the film.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
But we actually, without spoiling the film, we got to
film a pook money ceremony, which is the ceremony that
happens after a funeral maybe a year later, and it's
to finish the morning period and not that's the thing
about access and family and stuff too.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
They wanted us there.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
I mean, Ticki, the producer, went and talked to the
family and they were happy for us to be there.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
Obviously I directed that.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
We're very aware that, you know, we didn't want to
get in the way and anyway when we really respectful. But
it's a really beautiful scene because it feels like you're
there and you're.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Wiz mob, you know, and you're just such a privilege
and Marius or Ruaney, Brin Tadam Mary, he explains what
pooker money is and that it's that his description. It's
so he's so wonderful. Dan just did the most Like
I'm in Melbourne watching this unfold and like, you just
(18:01):
did the most amazing job. I don't know how you
got him to explain that, but he says, or how
you got did you give him that? I would love
to know the leading questions because he goes so in
western way and I was like, oh my god.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
It was just just brilliant talent though, you know, elder
to elder who actually is used to actually bringing more
people from outside.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
He's an interpreter.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, he knows here to understand their culture. And he
was so open and stuff. I didn't do anything magic.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
He was too beautiful. And his face last night, like
his face is literally the whole screen. It's so beautifully shot.
And yeah, and it's really interesting. Like I think the
biggest takeaway I've had from people who've seen the film
is like I feel like I have just been given
this gift of a culture that I didn't know was
(18:53):
there for me to access Like Australian, there's no sign
saying stay out. You know, it's it's there if we
ask the right questions. This depth and this wonder and
this culture is there for us. All mother was so
happy to share, aren't they really?
Speaker 1 (19:10):
Yeah? I agree. I'm sitting here going my camera's going
to die soon. Yeah, we could be yearning about well, really,
you know, what do you want in terms of for
Australians to take from this film? And I just you
kind of answered the question I wanted to ask next,
is that this is a gift. To see it as
(19:32):
a gift, to receive it as a gift, and what
you do with that gift is up to you.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
But it should.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
Actually help change the relationship in this country that is
long overdue between wide and Black Australia, Indigenous and non Indigenous.
We need to come together and these films need to
be created and need to be accessible to the public.
I can't wait to see it, and I'm so excited
that I actually had the opportunity to hear from both
(19:58):
of you about this film that most of us are
still waiting to see. So can I just quickly say
in terms of the women that feature in this film,
I would love to get them on the podcast and
I can zum them on and we can actually talk
to them more in depth. We might all be able
to get on. I'd love to go the tea Wee
(20:18):
Islands day. Could that be a thing? I can't wait? Well,
thank you so much, Thank you so much for coming
in and just being so I don't know, I just
like feel like I've been gifted this story now that
I can't wait to watch. I'm gonna tomorrow. I'll be
looking for this story, this film counting down to the
seventeenth of October. Everyone that's watching this podcast or even
(20:42):
listening to this yarn, make sure you go and see
like my brother, I knew it straight because.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
After that, brother, And if you want a T shirt,
go online, because I'm about to take it down because
I've got so many orders to adcome cope and I'm
making them myself.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
There you go, so are you?
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Mom?
Speaker 1 (21:00):
I just want to say, I hope you've enjoyed there's
deadly yarn with these dead women, and I'm sure there's
more that you're gonna hear about in the future. So
until next time. Bye for now. If you'd like any
more info on today's guest, please visit our show notes
in the episode description. A big shout out to all
you Deadly Mob and allies who continue to listen, watch,
(21:23):
and support our podcast. Your feedback means the world. You
can rate and review the podcast on Apple and Spotify,
or even head to our socials and YouTube channel and
drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you.
The Black Magic Woman podcast is produced by Clint Curtis.
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