13/12/22
Arc Cinema, National Film and Sound Archive, Acton, ACT
In attendance His Excellency, General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd). And Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley.
Dan Sanguineti:
Good Evening!
Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the Ngunnawal people, the Traditional Custodians of this land. I pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, extending that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that are here at tonight’s screening.
This year our wonderful students embarked on an incredible filmmaking journey, to learn what it takes to make a short film, collaboratively and inclusively.
I am so proud of every single student, for what you have achieved this year. You are all amazing, kind and beautiful people and I am honored to have supported you to make this year’s film.
I am also grateful and humbled by all the talented people who have supported, guided and made this year’s film possible, being the entire cast and crew. My deepest gratitude to Ellen Britton who has been leading the charge in the classroom these last couple of months. She has done wonderful work with post production of our film.
I also want to express my gratitude to Lil Paterson. Lil was our incredible support worker, and a talented filmmaker, who midway through the year, after many dedicated years of service with Bus Stop Films, left Australia to move to England with their partner to take up a new opportunity.
We have definitely missed Lil, but we are very proud of everything they have contributed to our class. I would like to acknowledge Lil’s kindness, patience, creative spirit, love and care for our students and for everything they did to make our projects, over the last couple of years, amazing.
Tonight really is a celebration. Because - and I say this often to so many aspiring and emerging filmmakers - Filmmaking is not an easy thing to so. But it is so rewarding. To make a film inclusively - that means so much, to everyone involved in that production.
And because Filmmaking is not an easy thing to do, any form of it is an incredible achievement. The films we are watching tonight are worthy of our support, cheers, applause, celebrations and high fives. Through this we acknowledge not only the names in the credits, but the individuals that supports each person who works on the film - a support worker, a parent, a sibling, a partner and a friend.
The core inclusive values that Bus Stop Films share with all of us, consistently drives us to be better filmmakers.
What inclusion means to me, is about us valuing and acknowledging everyone, seeking consent and consulting diverse voices, supporting and mentoring all filmmakers, and accepting and loving - everything and everyone. Inclusion to me is about giving quiet voices a chance to be heard!
And thanks to everything that is Bus Stop Films - I am a better Filmmaker.
Thank you, and I hope you enjoy our film - Dungeons, Goblins and Broccoli
🎥