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Two SA made films named among SDIN Award finalists
29 February 2024
The Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network (SDIN) and Screen Producers Australia (SPA) have today announced the six finalists for the annual SDIN Award, including two South Australian made and SAFC supported productions: feature film Limbo and short film Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black).
The SDIN Award recognises an Australian-based project, producer and/or production company and/or screen organisation that has made a significant contribution through excellence or impact to diversity and inclusion either on or off screen within the Australian screen industry.
This year’s finalists are: Limbo produced by Bunya Productions, Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black) produced by Switch Productions and Other Pictures, Erotic Stories produced by Lingo Pictures, First Inventors produced by Ronde Media, In Our Blood produced by Hoodlum Entertainment and Strait to the Plate (S2) produced by Lone Star Production Group.
Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped In Black) is a short docu-fiction film voiced completely in Yankunytjatjara, the language of South Australian artist and performer Derik Lynch, who co-directed and co-wrote the film with SA’s Matthew Thorne. The film follows Derik, an initiated Anangu and queer-identifying man, on a road trip from the oppression of white city life in Adelaide back to country – Aputula – to perform on sacred Inma ground, while memories from his youth growing up on country return. Made with support from both the SAFC and the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF), the acclaimed docu-fiction film has won international acclaim including the Silver Bear Jury Prize (Short Film) and the Teddy Queer Film Award for Best Short Film at Berlinale 2023, as well as the $20,000 Documentary Australia Award at the 2023 Sydney Film Festival.
Limbo is an Outback noir written, directed, shot, edited and composed by Kamilaroi filmmaker Ivan Sen. Filmed in Coober Pedy, it stars Simon Baker as Travis Hurley, a detective investigating the 20-year-old unsolved murder of a local First Nations girl. It also stars Rob Collins, South Australian actor Natasha Wanganeen and Nicholas Hope. South Australia’s Elaine Crombie was Associate Producer. Limbo premiered at Berlinale 2023 as one of the first Australian films to screen in competition in 17 years, and earlier this month won the 2024 AACTA Award for Best Indie Film.
SDIN Co-Chair Olivia Khoo said: “We are thrilled with the entries for this year’s SDIN Award. The shortlist tells bold new Australian stories on screen. They inspire, educate, and entertain us, and challenge stereotypes along the way. We are pleased with the strong pool of contenders and at the important strides made by network members in giving under-represented groups the opportunity to tell their own stories and see themselves reflected on screen.”
SDIN Co-Chair Loani Arman said: “The SDIN is pleased to announce the SDIN Award finalists and thank the Awards Jury for their time in selecting projects that actively push the boundaries of representation on our screens for under-represented and historically excluded groups, as well as strive towards better industry practices off-screen, too. We look forward to celebrating the winner of the SDIN Award at SCREEN FOREVER 38.”
The winner will be announced by both SDIN Co-Chairs at the upcoming SPA Awards.
A number of SA films and series are also nominated for the production categories of the SPA Awards. SA made and SAFC supported productions Limbo and The Royal Hotel are both nominated for the Feature Film Production of the Year; Gold Diggers from SA’s KOJO Studios is nominated for Comedy Program or Series Production of the Year; and Beep and Mort from SA’s Windmill Pictures and YOLO Silver Destiny from SA’s Monkeystack are both up for Animated Production of the Year, alongside Koala Man produced by SA’s Justin Wight, Dario Russo and David Ashby. Blame the Rabbit from SA writer/director Elena Carapetis and SA producers Lisa Scott and Adam Camporeale is up for Short Film Production of the Year. See the full list of nominees at Inside Film.
The SPA Awards will be presented on the closing night of Screen Forever, on 21 March. For more information visit www.screenforever.org.au