Page 83 - Metro

Much as songlines do, The Song Keepers traces the journeys and stories
of these women. As both an uncovering and an opening-out, the film
provides a platform for these voices and calls on us to listen in.

KV@XR RNTMCHMF SGD K@MCRB@OD ANQHFHM@K @MC MNM and reclaiming. Much as songlines do, 3GD 2NMF *DDODQR
ANQHFHM@K UNHBDR RNMF LTRHB @MC SDWS NODMDC TO @ traces the journeys and stories of these women. As both
RO@BD ENQ @ CHEEDQDMS RNQS NE VQHSHMF : < (M ANQHFHM@K BQD@- DQ XQFRYHULQJ DQG DQ RSHQLQJ RXW WKH ĺOP SURYLGHV D SODW
SHNMŭ QHST@KR ODNOKD @MC OK@BD @QD RTMF HMSN ADHMF D@BG form for these voices and calls on us to listen in.
SHLD SGD QHST@K HR ODQENQLDC (M SGD QHST@K ODQENQL@MBD NE Film and music can, of course, work as powerful strate
SGDRD RSNQHDR SGD K@MCENQLR @MC V@SDQ SGD OK@MSR @MCŭ@MH- gies against the erasure of history. This was particularly
L@KR @QD RTMF HMSN ADHMF HM O@QSHBTK@Q OK@BDR (MCHUHCT@K apparent at last year’s Melbourne International Film Festival
RNMFR @MC RSNQX OK@BDR @QD BNMMDBSDC @BQNRR SGD K@MC- (MIFF), where 3GD 2NMF *DDODQR had its world premiere.
RB@OD SGQNTFG RNMFKHMDR 2HMFHMF SGD BNTMSQX HR @M DRRDM- The 2017 festival placed a strong emphasis on Indigenous
SH@KŭO@QS NE MTQSTQHMF BNTMSQX 2HMFHMF HR JMNVKDCFD 1 stories across a variety of genres, screening Tracey Moffatt’s
classic horror anthology AD#DUHK 9LFWRULD :KDUIH
'UDZLQJ RQ WKH FHQWUDO WHQHW WKDW o>V@LQJLQJ LV NQRZOHGJHp t McIntyre’s western short ,HQN VHYHUDO GRFXPHQ
D}PHDQV E\ ZKLFK WUDGLWLRQ FXOWXUH ODQJXDJH DQG KLVWRU\ WDULHV LQFOXGLQJ 6HUD 'DYLHVp -@L@SIHQ@ /QNIDBS
DUH FRPPXQLFDWHG DQG SDVVHG RQ t , OLVWHQ WR 6HQpV ĺOP DQG $PLHO &RXUWLQ :LOVRQpV EHDXWLIXO K\EULG GRFXPHQWDU\
as an extension of these networks of songlines that stretch !@RS@QCX (2008). Particular attention was paid to the role
out over time and space. In particular, I am interested in of music in Indigenous storytelling and to songwriting
how these hymns may be heard as forms of rescripting WUDGLWLRQV %HQ 6WUXQLQpV 6DRSVHMC #I@KT R +DF@BX (2017),

www.metromagazine.com.au | © ATOM | Metro Magazine 195 • 81