DANCING ON WATER

A documentary written by Frances Calvert and Dana Ober, directed by Frances Calvert, cameraby Lars Barthel and Murray Lui, produced by Talking Pictures Frances Calvert / Jerrycan Films

SYNOPSISDancing on Water follows the struggle of Saibai Islanders from Australia’s northernmost TorresStrait island to overcome obstacles to recreate an almost lost dance before literally losing theground beneath their feet to the ravages of climate change.

The germ

Life is dramatically changing on Saibai Island. Already two-thirds swamp, this home to four hundred people situatedjust four kilometres from Papua is destined to disappearsoon under rising sea-levels of global warming.

Like all Torres Strait islands, Saibai is full of secrets, legendsand rituals. It has a signature dance cycle, the Adhi-Buya,about a stone that glowed to impart magical powers towarriors. It has not been performed in full since 1961,probably due to the distractionsof “the good life” of welfaredependence.

Three years ago, Saibai linguist, Dana Ober, shared his dream withlong-time friend and filmmaker Frances Calvert of his people reviving the legendary dance beforethe community is evacuated.

From 1961 production

Dana Ober

Slowly the idea gained momentum. Dana transcribed the Kala Lagaw Ya language songs anddramaturgy to the satisfaction of all seven clans. Community meetings wereheld in 2008 and 2009 where clan elders and young men embraced the project,despite the challenge for the young dancers of gaining the fitness required toperform the high leaps in unison. The only living member of the 1961performance, Mebai Warusam, 85 years, has declared the dance, songs andmusic 'ready to go'.

Mebai Warusam

The action

The film will trace the rocky road to the successful completion of the Adhi-buya, if indeed it iscompleted, at the same time showing a view of “Australian life” foreign to many. Twenty-two fitand disciplined young male dancers are required, yet many lack warrior physique. Theprotagonists K.C. Tabuai, Isaac Waia and Nigel Waia each have their own hopes as to what theycan gain from the revival of the dance and the film.

K C Tabuai Isaac Waia Nigel Waia

With a keen core of eight youths, the remainder must be recruited from Saibai and neighbouringDauan Island, where Councillor Raymond Soki has shown great enthusiasm

© Frances CalvertFor SBS, 1.11.2009 3

In a move unique in Indigenous Australia, the Australian Army'sIndigenous Charlie Company has formally agreed to provide a bootcamp to improve the youths' physique, a move of interest to bothparties. The film will observe the daily trials and tribulations of the22 youths as they train for thirty days in a camp to be erected fivekilometres outside the village.

A Saibai-related sports hero is to be invitedto visit the camp to encourage the youths in

their quest. Negotiations are under way to bring basketballer NathanJawai, now playing in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks. Growing up inisolated Bamaga with next-to-no-sports facilities and little social

stimulation, he rose to become an internationalbasketball star keen to inspire others. As well,Christine Anu, renowned Saibai singer/dancer, hasbeen invited to visit during filming.

© Frances CalvertFor SBS, 1.11.2009 4

Indigenous welfare-recipients are normally expected to shut up and complyyet Torres Strait youngsters are keen to rise above the dreary subsistencelevel of their everyday life. Between gruelling army training sessions, the

boys will rehearse the dance under the stern but committed tutelage ofSedrick Waia and Jensen Warusam, dance masters. On the road tomanhood, the youths gain fitness, learn the dance and acquire traditionalskills.Fitness training must be fuelled by a healthy diet, a major problemon an island where the only store charges three times the price of food inCairns and fresh fruit and vegetables are a rarity. No wonder thatdiabetes, heart disease, kidney failure and obesity are rife.

Even prior to the start of filming, Islanders and health professionals arenow calling for fresh fruit and vegetables and reduced sugar and fat items in the store. They aresupported in this by Federal Member of Parliament for Leichhardt, Jim Turnour, an energetic 35-year-old politician.

Marianna Babia, Cultural Officer is a driving force in the community and will helpthe youths make authentic costumes from pearl shell, cassowary feathers and dyedgrass skirts. Huge hour-glass drums will have to be traded from Papuan villagesacross the Strait. The women musicians and singers are already practising.

The culminating dance will be performed under moonlight in the most beautiful partMarianna Babia of this doomed island. The dance troupe will then travel to mainland Australia and

abroad.

Elements in the film

In tracing the quest of a community to perform an historic dance, Dancing on Water touches onscenic, serious, magical, humorous aspects Torres Strait life, such as:

- Saibai’s hidden role as a customs frontline against drug, gun and people trafficking

- The revival of a dance of former headhunters

- Vivid spirits, sorcery, lurk everywhere

- Extremes of beauty, bounty and loss – an island paradise where mud crabs, barramundiand deer abound alongside deadly snakes and crocodiles

- Rich unique Melanesian culture perched on the brink between Australia and Papua

- Australians' love of cars: nobody walks the 800 metres of road

- So many things don’t work – no TV, no internet café, no public phone, etc.

Nathan Jawai

Jensen Warusam

The production

Filming for the 54-minute production is set for thirty days in August 2010.

The technical crew, including indigenous DOP , is in place. The community is right behind theproject. Support from government and administrative bodies is in place.

All that remains now is to fund the film, a co-production between Jerrycan ProductionsQueensland (e.g., 'SALT') and Talking Pictures Frances Calvert (e.g., 'CRACKS IN THE MASK' funded30% by SBS)

Photos, CVs and supporting documents for Dancing on Water are included below.

Fishing in the blue hour at Saibai

© Frances CalvertFor SBS, 1.11.2009 5

Saibai and Dauan Islands from air

Marianna Babia & Frances Calvert

5a

SAIBAI PHOTOS

Local Food Jensen inspecting canoe boys are making 2007 Store food

Myths painted on house front

Cemetery ravaged by tides

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FILMOGRAPHY OF FRANCES CALVERT: Writer/ Director

Frances Calvert Torres Strait

STATEMENT I was born in Sydney, Australia, graduated from Sydney Universityand trained as a teacher. I now live and work in Berlin, Germany and return annually toAustralia.

I teach students of production at the film school HFF ‚Konrad Wolf‘ in Babelsberg,Germany as well as Media and Cultural studies at Potsdam University.

I am particularly interested in style and form in documentary film.

My close association with Torres Strait goes back to 1986 when I began research formy first film, TALKING BROKEN (1990) a whimsical portrait of the Torres StraitIslanders, Australia’s ‘other’ indigenous minority, at a critical moment in their history. Mysecond film CRACKS IN THE MASK followed in 1997 and features Ephraim Bani, a wiseand knowledgeable Islander, who goes to Europe to inspect and comment on his culture.The film raises the question of what ethnographic museums are really for: do they reflectthe West's cultural gaze or do they truly represent the cultures exhibited in them?Ephraim addresses the return of artefacts from the world’s greatest museums to theiroriginal owners but returns to Australia empty-handed. This award-winning film attracteda great deal of political and social interest in Europe, where I live, as well as in Australia,my homeland. Both films now run regularly on Australia's National Indigenous Televisionstation and so even young Australians are aware of them.

TALKING BROKEN was made in co-production with Channel Four (UK) andwith financial assistance from Kuratorium junger deutscher film, BerlinerFilmförderung, Evangelisches Missionswerk Hamburg, Stiftung UmverteilenBerlin/Projektgruppe Pazifik e.v. Television screenings included ABC TelevisionAustralia, ARTE/ORB/SWF Germany.

My second film, CRACKS IN THE MASK (1997) was made in co-production with SBSIndependent, Australia, SF DRS TV, Switzerland and WDR TV Cologne, Germany withfinancial assistance from Ausschuß für Entwicklungsbezogene Bildung und Publizistik;The European Commission 16:9 Programme; Evangelisches Zentrum für

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entwicklungsbezogene filmarbeit; Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg Gmbh; FilmkommissionKEM/HEKS/Brot für alle; Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; MAP-TV;MEDIA Project for the Creative Documentary; Film Queensland; QueenslandGovernment. It screened on SBS, ORB, SWR, ARTE, and Planète Cable. This award-winning documentary is distributed by First Run Ikarus film in the USA and by Ronin filmsin Australia. It has screened at 40 film festivals worldwide and at special events inmuseums, universities, and schools and is in constant use at the Cultural Centre onThursday Island in Torres Strait.

See website www.calvert-film.com for further details.

CURRICULUM VITAELARS BARTHEL (Camera), Film School Babelsberg 1973 – 1980

1982 Emigrated from the GDR to India with his wife Chetna Vora, student of Direction. One year in India. shot SEITENSSTREIFEN DIE TIGER NOCH DURCH DIE FELDER with the indigenous people of West India

1983 returned to Germany (West Berlin)

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:DREHORT BERLIN, 113 min documentary, 35mm, Production: Journal-film Klaus Volkenborn, Dir: Helga Reidemeister,screened at Berlinale Forum 1985

LETZTES JAHR IN DEUTSCHLAND 90 min, 16mm for BR / Channel 4 : 1990

SOMMER IN EZRA 90 min feature, 16mm for ZDf, Kleines fernsehspiel Dir: HussiKutlucan

BORDER CROSSING 90 min feature, 16mm Channel 4 / WDR, Dir: StewartMackinnon

OUR BURMESE DAYS 90 min documentary, super 16/35mm for WDR Dir:Lindsey Merrison, 40 international festivals

CRACKS IN THE MASK /RISSE IN DER MASKE, 57 min documentary, super 16/35mm for WDR, SF DRS, SBS 43 festivals incl.screenings in Australia via Goethe Institut

LICHTER AUS DEM HINTERGRUND, 95 min documentar , super16 mm for ZDf - Fernsehspiel, super16/35mm for sfb/ARTE Dir:Helga Reidemeister, Screened in Berlinale Panorama 1998; international screening via Goethe Institut

ICH CHEF – DU TURNSCHUH, 95 min feature, super16/35mm, ZDf, Kleines fernsehspiel Dir: Hussi Kutlucan, screend incompetition at Max Ophüls Festival, awarded Grimme Prize 2000

DAS BILD DER RUSSEN, 100 min, super 16/35mm, Dir: Wilhelm Rösing für ZDf, Kleines fernsehspielMAKAH – DIE DEN WALFANGEN, 120min, super 16/35mm, um-WElT-fIlm, for WDR / ARTE, Regie: Ralf Marschallek

TEXAS-KABUL, 90 min documentary, FORARTE, WDR, SWF, Dir: Helga Reidemeister, Berlinale Panorama 2004;

Scene from Mein Tod ist nicht Dein Tod with Lars Barthel

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ESTLAND MON AMOUR, 90 min documentary, super16/35/ mA.JA.De. filmproduktion/ mDR/ARTE Dir: Sybille Tiedemann

MEIN TOD IST NICHT DEIN TOD, 86 min documentary, super16/35/ ö-filmproduktion for ZDf-Kleines fernsehspiel; Dir &camera: Lars Barthel, Leipzig - Discovery Channel film prize, Achtung Berlin – Prize for best Documentary

IM NAMEN DES LÖWEN – KURBAN SAID, um-WELT-FIlm Produktion; 90 min documentary ( in production).

Curriculum VitaeEric Murray LuiCinematographer, Camera Operator

Date of Birth: 18 March 1971

Contact: Eric Murray Lui

Mobile: 61-0-429 815 703

Email: ericmurraylui@yahoo.com.au

Thursday Island, Torres Strait, QLD

Training: 1999, Australian Film, Television and Radio School Masterof Arts – CinematographyDrama Specialisation, 1998 Australian Film, Television andRadio School Graduate Diploma – Cinematography

Drama Specialisation 1994 Certificate in Indigenous Television Training,Kuri Productions.Australian Film, Television and Radio School

ABN: 22 303 546 441AGENT: Jennifer Naughton RGM Associates Suite 202, 64-67 Kippax St Surry Hills, Sydney, NSW 2010 Ph:(+61 2) 92813911 Fax: (+61 2) 9281 4705Email: info@rgm.com.au; jennifer@rgm.com.au

Employment: Drama –Jacob – Short Drama orig Super 16mm fin 35mm Colour Film Director ofPhotography Prod: Darren Dale, Rhea Stephenson, Blackfella Films, Screen Australia Writer/Dir: Dena CurtisUnit DOP / B Camera Operator Dir of Photo: Hugh MillerPrime Mover – FEATURE Drama orig HD Genesis Colour fin 35mm Film Colour 2Prod: Vincent Sheehan, Porchlight Films. Dir: David Ceaser

My Country – 10 min SHORT Drama orig 16mm Colour Director of Photography Prod: SallyMadgwick/Paper Moon Productions/PFTC Dir: Odette Best

Bit of Black Business – Television Drama Shorts – orig HDV Colour 9 of 13 X 5 min SHORT TELEVISIONDRAMA(s) Director of Photography Prod: Film Depot/ AFC Indigenous Unit/ SBSI/NSWFTO/Screenwest Dir: KelliCross, Deb Carmody, Aaron Fa’aso, Michelle Blanchard, Jacob Nash, Pauline Whyman

Michael Longbottom, Dena Curtis, Jon Bell

nd The Circuit – Mini Series 6 X 1 Hour(s) TELEVISION Drama - orig High Definiton Colour 2 Unit DOP / BCamera Operator Dir of Photo: Joseph PickeringProd: Media World/ SBSI/ Screen West Dir: Catriona McKensie, RichardFrankland, Steve Jodrell

nd Footy Legends – FEATURE Drama orig 35mm fin 35mm Colour 2 Unit DOP / B Camera Operator Dir ofPhoto: Martin McGrath ACSProd: Megan Mc Murchie/Suitcase Films Dir: Khoa Do

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Remote Area Nurse – Mini Series 6 X 1 Hour(s) TELEVISIONDrama orig High Definition Colournd Unit DOP / B CameraOperator Dir of Photo: Ian Jones ACS Prod: ChapmanPictures/ SBSI/FFC/PFTC Dir: David Ceasar, Catriona McKensie

Green Bush – 26 min SHORT Drama orig Super 16mm Colour fin 35mm ColourDirector of Photography / Camera OperatorProd: Kath Shelpar, Film Depot/ AFC / SBSIWriter/Dir: Warwick Thornton

Djarns Djarns – 26 min SHORT Drama orig Super 16mm Colour fin 35 mm ColourDirector of Photography / Camera OperatorProd: Kylie Du Fresne, RB Films/ AFC / SBSIWriter/Dir: Wayne Blair

The Finished People – FEATURE Drama orig Mini DV fin 35mm ColourCo - Director of Photography with Oliver LawranceProd: Khoa Do and Ahn DoDir: Khoa Do

Orange Love Story – FEATURE Drama orig Digi BetaCo - Director of Photography with Hugh MillerProd: Tom CowanDir: Tom CowanBlack Talk – 10 min SHORT Drama orig Super 16mm fin 35mm ColourDirector of PhotographyProd: RB Films/ AFC/ SBSIDir: Wayne Blair

Documentaries:Embedded With Blackfellas – 50 min Doco orig Mini DV DirectorPhotography Prod: Beth Frey, Circe Films, Film Victoria, SBS Dir:Sophie Meyrick

In A League Of their Own – 3 X 30 min Doco Series orig Digi Beta Director ofPhotography Prod: Tony Collins, Carmel Young- LOTO Films, ABC, SAFC Dir:Steven McGregor

When Colin Met Joyce – 50 min Doco orig HDV Director ofPhotography Prod: Pauline Clague-Core Films/ AFC/ SBSI Dir:Rima Tamou

LaPerouse Panthers – 26min Doco orig MiniDV Director ofPhotography Prod: Lisa Duff/ AFC/ SBSI Dir: MichaelLongbottom

Island Fettlers – 26min Doco orig MiniDV Director ofPhotography Prod: PJ Clague/ Core Prod/ AFC/ SBSI Dir:Kelrick Martin

Big Girls Don’t Cry - 26 min Doco orig Digi Betacam Director ofPhotography Prod: CAAMA Productions/ AFC/ SBSI Dir/Writer: DarrinBallangarry

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For Who I Am – The Bonita Mabo Story – 26 min Doco orig DV CamEvery Day Brave SeriesDirector of PhotographyProd: CAAMA Productions/ Film Australia/ Macumba MediaDir: Danielle Maclean

Jetja Nai Medical Mob – The Naomi Myers Story – 26 min Doco orig DVC ProEveryday Brave SeriesDirector PhotographyProd: Film Australia/ Macumba MediaDir: Catriona McKenzie

Trek – 55 min Doco orig Digi BetaDirector of PhotographyProd: MEFA Films for CANAL + France/ ABC AustraliaDir: Pierre-Jacques Ober