2023 Women in Film Lunch - a short speech
I was asked to give a short speech at the 2023 Gold Coast Film Festival “Women in Film” Lunch. As a proud advocate for the sector, and a proud cheerleader for my independent filmmaker wife, Jude Kalman, it was an honour to join the room of female film industry participants. Here’s the transcript;
First, I want to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we gather, the Kombumerri people, and pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.
What I love about when we acknowledge traditional custodians is that we recognise the legacy of those who came before us, even if we don’t fully understand their struggles or circumstances or the issues they may have faced. More often than you might think, our community benefits from a “state of play” or a set of circumstances we know nothing about how we inherited. In some ways, you are part of that here at this event; The Women in Film lunch is an initiative of the Gold Coast Film Festival and it sets a tone for the broader event and celebrates the importance of acknowledging epic women in the industry. As we meet we are establishing a narrative that future women (and men) in the industry will benefit from.
In a circumstance that many of you talented and experienced and wonderfully capable women are no doubt very familiar with, earlier this week one bloke (the CEO of the Gold Coast Film Festival) made a questionable decision by asking another bloke (myself) to make some remarks on behalf of the City of Gold Coast, at a Women in Film luncheon. In obvious news to all of you probably, as a male politician, I am neither “in film” really, or “a woman”, and my esteemed and hard-working colleagues Karen Andrews (federal MP for McPherson), and Councillor O’Neill from Division 14 and Councillor Young from Division 12 at least meet the criteria for one of those categories.
But as the Deputy Chair of Economy, Tourism and Events committee, I probably do just have to do my job and if I’ve learnt anything from my amazing wife, documentary film producer and director Jude Kalman, who is both a woman and in film, I should probably just get on with the job I’ve been asked to do (which is what she asks of all the boys and men who share a home with her adjacent her busy film studio and office).
In that spirit. let’s get on with it… I’ve got three suggestions for guests today;
1. If you are a man in the room, be an ally for Women in Film. It is personally and rewarding and enriches the industry. If you women know a man who is an ally, don’t be afraid to leverage them to appropriately add their voice, complementing your own, for your interests. If you know a man who isn’t an ally, don’t be afraid to kick their ass. My wife Jude often speaks of an ancient snippet of wisdom – “wolves are in your midst; be gentle as a dove, and wise as a serpent.”
2. The City of Gold Coast (and Screen Qld for that matter) has a range of fantastic industry support programs that many of you may be eligible for. Please jump on our website and check out the Screen Attraction program (for bigger projects) and the Screen Access program (for smaller operators). There’s also RADF grants and a variety of programs in partnership with other levels of government. We have money and support for eligible practitioners.
3. Finally, keep backing yourself, and each other, and making exceptional contributions. Practice your craft, and take time to reflect on your achievements and those of your colleagues. Whether you are operating a camera or an editing screen like Jude, or if you’re an exceptional producer and project co-ordinator like the GC Screen Professional of the Year named last night, Gina Black; or whether you are sensationally creative and innovative like the team we’ll hear from today who orchestrated production for the ELVIS movie, you should find ways to celebrate each other, and yourself, as we seek to grow the Gold Coast and Queensland as the best place to make movies in Australia and around the world.
Enjoy your lunch.