A group of Year 9 students in the indigenous community of Woorabinda in Central Queensland have won an award for the film they produced during an empowerment program for junior youth.
The film, which tells stories from their lives, picked up the “most original concept” award at the Harmony Film Festival in Sydney in December 2010. In addition, two members of the group have been invited to attend a film-making workshop in Sydney.
Two years ago a Baha’i in Woorabinda, a small town on the banks of the Mimosa river, approached a teacher at the local Wadja Wadja High School and suggested that consideration be given to hosting a junior youth spiritual empowerment program.
The idea was accepted and the program led into the film project.
With the assistance of movie director Mojgan Khadem, whose feature film “Serenades” won much acclaim after its release in 2001, the young people made the film and called it “Living On the Banks of the Mimosa”. Their life stories as portrayed in the film include a look at the conditions of their community and their hopes for the future.
The 13 members of the group invited the elders and the local community to a special screening recently, said Shirley Perkins, who initiated the project.
“The elders expressed their admiration at the effort of the young people,” said Ms Perkins.
“Now they are seen as having a more positive future.”