17 February 2023
A historical documentary that was funded by Southern Downs Regional Council’s Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) and celebrates the life of a veteran has scooped Best Short Documentary at the Mykonos International Film Festival.
Produced by This Story Australia in collaboration with local author and renowned story teller Deb Wheeler, Second Generation ANZAC – The Story of Alf Carpenter preserves the personal stories of its namesake.
Still smiling ear-to-ear about the award, Deb said it had been an absolute honour to share and document the life of the late ANZAC and Battle of Crete veteran.
“I could never have dreamed there would be such ongoing acclaim resulting from my book Silk Clouds & Olive Trees: Stories from the Battle of Crete which inspired the documentary,” Deb said.
“It is so important to capture the stories of our veterans and to hear them tell their stories in their own words before their proud history is lost.
“We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to film Alf talking about his life and his national service, from humble beginnings in Wagga Wagga to the Middle East, Greece, Crete, New Guinea and beyond.
“At 105-year-old, Alf Carpenter OAM was the quintessential digger and it was momentous that he got to see the documentary before he passed away in September last year.
“It was also a great privilege to have Australia’s leading contemporary poet, Rupert McCall OAM, narrating the film for us.
“To know we’ve won this international award is the icing on the cake and Alf would have been so chuffed with the accolade.
“Sharing Alf’s story and bringing it to light would not have been possible without the financial assistance of Council’s RADF program and this award demonstrates that with Council’s support, local projects can have a global impact and put the Southern Downs on the map.”
The Southern Downs is well-known for its thriving and diverse arts scene, and the RADF program offers a prime opportunity for community groups to bring ideas to life.
Previous successful RADF funded projects have included street art, heritage projects and creative workshops.
The latest round of RADF funding is open and it closes on Monday 31 July 2023 or until the funds are depleted.
The application form and guidelines are available on Council’s website at https://www.sdrc.qld.gov.au/doing-business/grants-to-community-radf/radf.
The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Southern Downs Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
Last edited date 20 Feb 2023