SHORT films are back at the BREC this month as Flickerfest makes its way into Bunbury, celebrating its 21st year bringing films from around the country to Western Australia.
Ahead of it’s Friday, May 13 premier the Bunbury Mail spoke with film director Kelrick Martin whose film Karroyul is screening at Flickerfest.
Karroyul follows the story of Kelly, an aboriginal girl whose life takes some turns after the suicide of her mother.
Mr Martin said the story is one about re-connection, a theme layered throughout the film.
The film was shot in the South West, an opportunity Mr Martin said he utilized to display an alternative of Australia on film.
“The original story written by Kim Scott had a much more traditional setting in terms of what you’d expect from an Australian story, shrubby areas and sand,” he said.
“But filming in the South West and particularly in Pemberton, there are tall trees and lots of green, so it feels really ancient, similar to the way Picnic at Hanging Rock has such scope.
“But it also gave us the opportunity to see Aboriginals represented in film, in a contemporary setting.”
The real challenge for director was casting a young actor to play the part of Kelly, a troubled Aboriginal teenager and the main character.
“We cast our net fairly wide to find the right actor, we had options all around Australia and we decided on Chanelle, she had exactly what we wanted, and she lived in WA so it worked well.”
Director of Flickerfest Bronwyn Kidd said Karroyul was a standout film in the selection.
“It’s always so hard to curate the films, there are thousands of entries every year and hundreds of really good films,” she said.
“But the best get picked and they’re on their way to Bunbury.”
Flickerfest will be held at BREC Friday, May 13, tickets are available at bunburyentertainment.com