Thank you to everyone who came along to a magical premiere season of The Other Journey – and congratulations to the team at Parramasala for a brilliant festival.

Below are some gorgeous images by Guido Gonzalez from Matta Media of our preview night with the community and the CuriousWorks team.

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Name: Shane MacDonald
Age: 29
Work: Truck driver (and sometimes film director)
Place: Bonnyrigg (named after a Scottish village meaning “pretty hill”)
Languages: English

I like: Doing burn-outs in my ute: bad502 . I do my burnouts because I bond with my Dad. He’s more than my Dad, he’s my mate.

What story do you want to be told/have you told?
A story that I’ve been wanting to tell for a while now is about the young people from Western Sydney, and how easy it is for them to fall into the crooked and narrow.

Why do you do what you do?
I have an an interest in making films, and Curiousworks have helped me broaden my horizons in all areas of making and producing films. I worked with CuriousWorks to teach me a broad range of skills to understand how to make my own film, and help others tell their story.

Describe an average day for you in 10 words?
Up at 5, work till 5, home, hang with Jordan (Shane’s son).

What does your world need now?
More hours in the day. To work more, and more time with my son, Jordan, who is 3 years old.

Do you have a golden rule or philosophy?
Go hard, or go home !

What was your grandmother/grandfather doing when he/she was your age?
One of my grandfathers was a carpenter and the other worked on a cattle property. They were both working hard and raising a family. Time hasn’t changed the game has stayed the same.

Journey through Shane’s film Wake Up here.

Photography by www.mattsuttonphotography.com.au/

More about Bonnyrigg:
The traditional owners are the Darug. Settlement of the area dates from the early 1800s, when an orphanage was built by Governor King in 1803. Significant development did not occur until the post-war years. Rapid growth took place during the late 1970s and 1980s, spurred by public housing construction.

Coldest recorded temperature in Bonnyrigg: -2.0 recorded on 04/06/1976

Local Hot Spots: Armenian Cultural Centre, Novella Events Centre, Ming Yue Lay Buddhist Temple, St Johns Park Sports Club, Mount Pritchard & District Community Sports Ground, Hajduk Stadium

Listen to Shane, the Director, talk on set about why he chose to make Wake Up.

Journey through Shane’s film Wake Up here.

Meet the people behind the camera, as the Urban and Desert Crews exchange food and stories.

You don’t know us. You’ve never heard our story. And we want to tell you.
– Curtis

Over a few days in June 2010, the Urban Stories and Desert Stories crews met for the first time. They shared a meal. They interviewed each other. They began to understand how different the desert was to the city; and yet how similar their feelings and aspirations were.

The First Supper videos are your chance to meet the crews; to get to know a little bit about where they come from. In The First Supper: Part Two Anna asks Lazare what exactly what will happen if someone other than a mother cooks that dish…

The First Supper
Release: June 2010
Location: Bankstown, Western Sydney

All Roles (interviews): Urban Stories and Desert Stories crews
Producer (supper shoot): Urban Stories crew
Music: Punmu Lakeside Band featuring Monkey Marc and Ozi Batla (Part One)

The Stories Project
Creative Director: Shakthidharan
Producer: Eleanor Winkler
Mentors: Elias Nohra & Platon Theodoris

The Stories Project is presented by CuriousWorks.

Content by the Desert Stories crew is produced in partnership between CuriousWorks and Martu Media , a division of Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa.

There are a few things that separate the arrival of Maria and Zahoor at Villawood: ten years, a few policy reforms and two very large fences.

“For Australia to become like this – to have Villawood transformed into that is painful.” – Maria

A well-known end point and starting point for those who leave their country seeking asylum in Australia is Villawood Detention Centre – formerly known as Villawood Hostel. Two women who were faced with the choice to flee share their story with their sons.

Villawood Mums
Release: October 2010
Location: Villawood Detention Centre, Western Sydney

Producers: Guido Gonzalez and Saif Jari
Directors: Guido Gonzalez and Saif Jari
1st Assistant Director: Alan Lao
Directors Photography: Guido Gonzalez and Saif Jari
Editor: Anna Lam
Sound (Shoot): Shane MacDonald
Sound (Post) and Music: Saif Jari
Production Assistant: Lazare Nyembo

The Stories Project
Creative Director: Shakthidharan
Producer: Eleanor Winkler
Mentors: Elias Nohra & Platon Theodoris

The Stories Project is presented by CuriousWorks.