2009 Festival
Seen and Heard first began in January 2009 at the Sydney art gallery Blank_Space in Surry Hills.
Opening night featured speaker and activist for accessibility in the arts filmmaker Sarah Tracton and the screening of her film White Sound, exploring the notion of a ‘soundless’ existence. Sarah is now an advocate working for Arts Access Australia.
The programme ran for ten nights, included two afternoon tea sessions, with shorts showcases, sessions dedicated to features as well with four main streams: women and work, queer, Indigenous women in filmmaking and accessibility and disability. Filmmaker Margot Nash participated in two forums during the festival, discussing women and work and films by Indigenous Australians.
2009 FESTIVAL PROGRAM
Saturday 3/1/09 The Films of Jennifer Cox
Sunday 4/1/09 Afternoon Tea: Women and Work
Evening Screening: Call Me Mum
“Call Me Mum is among the finest of recent Australian films, and certainly one of the most affecting and resonant.” – Adrian Martin, The Monthly, February 2007
Kate is on a plane taking Warren, her 18 year old Torres Strait Islander foster son, to meet Flo, his birth mother, who is gravely ill in hospital in Brisbane.
Monday 5/1/09 Shorts Showcase
Tuesday 6/1/09 Crossing the Line
Wednesday 7/1/09 Rethinking Ability: films centered on “ability” and “disability” screening from 8pm featuring White Sound, the films of Jessica Tyrrell and Unlock
Thursday 8/1/09 Scarlett Productions: Films Produced by Kath Shelper – featuring six shorts all directed by women, produced by Shelper, about and by Indigenous Australians
Friday 9/1/09 Grind Girls and Love Refugees
Saturday 10/1/09 Afternoon Tea: Call Me Mum
Evening Screening: Rethinking Ability
Sunday 11/1/09 Afternoon Tea: The Films of Jennifer Cox
Evening Screening: Shorts Showcase
Monday 12/1/09 Women and Work
Tuesday 13/1/09 Come Home – tributes to lost souls: Bird, Dugong and Playground
