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NAIDOC Week Spotlight: Lilla Berry

12 July 2024

Every year the South Australian Film Corporation celebrates NAIDOC Week by highlighting the work of First Nations screen creatives living and working in South Australia.

This year we are showcasing seven First Nations South Australian creatives who are currently in the midst of writing original short film scripts as part of phase one of the SAFC’s First Nations Short Film Program.

The program is well underway, with the writers participating in an intensive weekend workshop last month with experienced First Nations filmmakers and mentors Pauline Clague, Dena Curtis and Aaron Fa’aoso, and experienced producer Paul Ryan of Adelaide Studios based 57 Films.

Once their polished scripts are completed each writer will be eligible to team up with a director and producer to apply for phase two of the program, and have the opportunity to take their short film into production.

Find out more about the First Nations Short Film Program here.

In this article we meet Yankunytjatjara creative Lilla Berry.

How long have you been part of the screen industry? How did you get started?

My sister Pearl and I were selected as one of the teams for the SAFC’s Deadly Family Portraits initiative with ABC iView in 2018. Since then I have mostly been a producer, but in the last year or so I’ve really leaned into my interest in writing and directing. Outside of the SAFC’s First Nations Short Film program I’m co-writing another short, Burnout, which is being produced through The Mercury’s Quicksilver initiative. This was a good process to go through ahead of my new project. I still love producing, but am really keen on being able to take whichever role is needed to tell the stories I want to tell. 

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from the SAFC’s First Nations Short Film Program so far?

That it’s not necessary to cram an entire feature film concept into a short film, and it’s more powerful to focus on a single moment, or thread. This idea helped me take my short from multiple scenes and a larger timeline to, for the most part, a single room and closed time frame, which is more exciting to explore and see something unfold in real time.

What can you tell us about the script you’re working on? What has inspired you?

My project is currently titled The Secret and is about pregnancy termination, reflecting the discourse in society and pressure and shame women face about choices around their own bodies. Media representation on this topic is often controversial American stories, or teen pregnancy tropes, so I wanted to provide another perspective – as people of all backgrounds and ages make these decisions for a variety of reasons. 

What does NAIDOC Week mean to you?

NAIDOC week is all about celebration. Shining a light on our deadly community and all that we have to be proud of. It can be exhausting, but it always feels amazing to come together and celebrate with friends, family and community. 

Read our other 2024 NAIDOC Week Spotlight articles on Ngarrindjeri creative Leesha Cole, Wongutha, Mirning, Barngarla, Ndaju, Gubrun and Bulang creative Shania Richards, Whadjuk Noongar creative Joshua Barbo, Kokatha Aboriginal/Greek creative Dylan Coleman, Arabana and Mudbura Warlpiri creative Colleen Raven Strangways and Tyler Joseph.