Hi all. Hope you are all well.
What a year, we’re glad to be finally winding down a little. Hope you find some time to chill too.
It’s been a massive year for Light Sound Art Film and we wanted to share some highlights below. In 2024 our mantra is partnerships and collaborations so if you like what we do, if there is something we can do for you or if you would like to work with us on one of our projects, please reach out. We have skills across all areas of film production and distribution and many connections internationally, particular and more uniquely in West Africa, Nepal and Indonesia. If you’re looking to produce anything in these regions we are 100% sure we can help.
The Surf Film Archive x Headland live.
Straight after Australian International Documentary Conference in Melbourne we travelled to Noosa and to our sold out our live show. 400 people packed The J to see Headland play live to the best of The Surf Film Archive. We are planning more shows in 2024. If you would like to include this very special crowd-pleasing event in your festival or event schedule we would love to join you.
Education is a Dream - Live theatre production
Then it was rehearsals with Muzafar and our live theatre show Education is a Dream as part of the Dream Big Festival at the Adelaide Festival Centre. The show dramatises Muzafar’s journey from Quetta to Afghanistan, working with the UN, becoming an internationally renowned photographer and setting up a refugee-led school in Indonesia. The highlight for the audience is when we Skype with the refugee school in Indonesia and allow everyone to ask questions from each other.
The show perfectly captures our approach of using art to bring community’s together and provides a beautiful, emotional and memorable moment of connection for the refugee and non-refugee kids. Aimed at 10-15 year olds, this show is very much ready to tour and would fit any school program. Just reach out! We’d love to hear from you.
Watandar, My Countryman - National Cinema Release
June saw Muzafar and Jolyon launched into our National Cinema Release for Watandar, My Countryman. 38 Q&A screenings over 44 days in every state of Australia, followed up with ongoing screenings at select cinemas.
It was a huge success and we reached over 100K at the Box Office. We wish it was all profit but it’s not, but we love bringing communities together and, even though it is difficult, we still believe that cinema is still the best place to do it. One of our highlights was screening Watandar in Marree on the weekend of the Curry Cook Up and Camel Cup. We sold our 4 sessions in the small community cinema which holds 30 people. This means we sold 120 tickets in a town of 72!!
Many from the Cameleer Descendants came and, as part of the Q&A, we asked them to speak. More than once the people speaking realised they were related to each other as they heard each others story!! There were plenty of tears.
The film highlights one of the first skilled migrant communities in Australia and it’s amazing to think that one day around 160 years ago in South Australia, an Afghan and an Aboriginal person met for the first time!! We’d love to find more platforms to share this special film.
You Should Have Been Here Yesterday - World Premiere at Adelaide Film Festival
We weren’t over because then it was time to edit and finish up, You Should Have Been Here Yesterday, The experiential film utilises over 200+ hours of lost surf film footage we had scanned for The Surf Film Archive. The film premiered at the mighty Adelaide Film Festival, in October and will screen at festivals in 2024. We are working with our distribution partners Umbrella to design a cinema and festival release for late 2024. Look out for us in a town near you!
We also presented two public art displays commemorating the fall of Afghanistan in Victoria Square, Adelaide and at Parliament House in Canberra.
So that’s us for 2023. 2024 is about partnerships and collaborations so please reach out if you’d like to have a chat.
Our best wishes to you and all your loved ones all for the holiday season. Enjoy every moment
Jolyon, Hamish and Muzafar
