Running Water Community Press seeks film project funding

First Nations publisher Running Water Community Press (RWCP) is seeking funding for a proposed film project ‘kwatye urrewe—uplifting desert stories’.

The publisher plans to collaborate with First Nations storytelling agency GARUWA ‘to produce short films on Country with authors across the central desert’. Commissioned by literary festival Blak & Bright, the films will premiere in March next year and then be distributed to national and international markets. RWCP will work with industry expert Tony Duke to expand ‘operational capacity and distribution scope’.

RWCP hopes to ‘uplift stories from the heart of the desert through strategic engagement with national and international audiences’. ‘More than ever, the voices of First Nations peoples need to be amplified, listened to and heard by this country and the world,’ said the publisher. ‘First Nations peoples urgently need to be in control of and benefit from the processes by which their stories are published and shared. The days of mainstream colonial publishing are coming to an end.’

A First Nations author-run publisher based in Mparntwe Alice Springs, RWCP is a non-profit publisher with author members from Arrernte, Warlpiri, Kaytetye, Anmatjere, Gooniyandi and Alyawarr language groups, with a publishing model grounded in cultural pedagogies, cultural safety and participatory process.

‘We have published around 40 First Nations authors and sold over 5000 books in Australia and overseas,’ said RWCP.

Speaking about the film project, RWCP said: ‘This powerful alliance of RWCP, GARUWA, Blak & Bright and Tony Duke promises to uplift the voices of central desert authors from our remote areas to the world! Our stories, our Country and our press have much to share and teach, through our writing as well as our community publishing model.’

More information about the project is available on the Australian Cultural Fund website.

Category: Local news