Writer-director, BECK COLE speaks with Rave film reviewer, TIM MILFULL about her debut feature film, HERE I AM.

Indigenous filmmaker, Beck Cole has a fine pedigree in telling the stories of her people. After an introduction to the television industry – for a while, she worked as the weather girl for the indigenous station, Imparja –she made the transition to directing short films and eventually the landmark documentary series, First Australians, and collaborated with her award-winning cinematographer husband, Warwick Thornton on the beautiful film, Samson & Delilah. And she doesn’t shy away from being labelled as such, “I guess we come from a generation where we can proudly claim our heritage and our identity. Even my father, for instance, wasn’t really able to do that. So I’ve just really embraced that and taken it on in my life as something not to be ashamed about. It’s something to be celebrating, really. People often say to me, ‘When are you going to make films that aren’t about Indigenous issues?’ Well, I don’t know. I can’t see into the future to begin with, and as long as I’ve got something to say, then I’m going to say it. This is who I am, and this is what excites me.”

The subject of Cole’s first feature is about a story that’s close to her heart, physically and thematically, “I know Port Adelaide from growing up, so I’m familiar with it. And I believe it’s where a story like this would unfold – that’s important to me. We’re surrounded all the time by the women going off to Centrelink; Vinnie’s across the road; the Job Shop – you know, all of those social services, all in that area. That’s truthful, and of course, it’s cinematically really beautiful – it just feels anchored there. I just felt it was always going to be there.”

And into this community comes recently released ex-con, Karen (Shai Pittman) who has to reconnect with her family and a life outside gaol. Casting Pittman involved some luck and timing, but Cole offers an earthy chuckle when reminded of light-hearted accusations of nepotism in filling other roles with aunties and cousins, “We went right out to the base of the hills to this Aboriginal women’s shelter. I’m there talking to the women living in the shelter, and my aunty comes out, who I haven’t seen in 20 years. She recognised my voice, and she’s like wearing an Australiana apron – just as I’d scripted; she’s a cook in the women’s shelter, and my producer, Kath [Shelper] just looks at me and goes, ‘That’s is fucking freaky… Why don’t you cast her?’ I said, ‘Do you think that might be a bit dodgy?’ She’s like, ‘It’s art imitating life – go for it!’ So I did.”

Cole’s resulting film is a raw, humorous look at someone finding her feet, and is filled with richly drawn characters that don’t sit too far from reality, and who aren’t afraid to speak their mind, “Yeah, but I’m not afraid of being didactic. I know a lot of women like Betty (Summers, who plays Anita) – she talks like that all the time; for me, that’s believable. Of course I’m aware that I don’t want people to feel like they’ve been banged over the head. But at the same time, I might have only one shot at making a film, so fuck it – I’m going to give it a red hot shot!”

HERE I AM opens in select cinemas on Thursday. Check out www.hereiamfilm.com for more information.

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