The Dare to Struggle Film Festival celebrates the stories and struggles of individuals, groups and communities trying to improve the world and create a fairer and more just society.

FRIDAY NIGHT OPENING PROGRAM

Essential Portraits of Essential Workers Avraham Vofsi

During the COVID-19 pandemic, media attention salutes front-line health care workers  fighting to save lives, while giving  less attention to the thousands of low-paid or casual workers who  kept society functioning. Avraham Vofsi, a portrait artist, set out to document these stories.

I am Woman Philip O’Donoghue

Produced by UnionsWA, feminist content at a union rally

Jack Mundey   DTSFF

Jack Mundey’s legacy is immense. The face of Sydney today as a result of the Green Bans movement  is a monument to his achievements.  Jack’s commitment to democratic unionism and strong community engagement were central to these wins. The film festival  was conceived as a tribute to his life.

A Man From the Other Side Ivan Gaal , Janos Zoltan

Denis Evans’ motto is: “if you don’t fight you lose”. During a lawn bowling match we found out why he believes in that statement

North West Joel O’Brien

The North-West region of Australia harbours some of the largest mineral  deposits  in the world and with it come some of the most rotten multinational corporations and a ton of workers all looking to make a buck. What was once a series of strong Union towns are now reduced rubble. Yet there are some unions  that still organise and win, and it’s in this place that the MUA dare to struggle and dare to win.

2021 NSW Teacher Strike Rhiannon Sawyer

Teachers now work 55 hours a week but salaries haven’t kept pace. 1 in 8 teachers now leave the profession within 6 years and there are more than 1,000 full-time teaching positions unfilled in NSW. Demanding a decent pay rise, tens of thousands of teachers across NSW participated in a 24 hour stoppage on December 7 2021.

RAFFWU  DTSFF

Workers at the Better Read Than Dead bookshop in Newtown have unionised and have  been endeavouring to negotiate an EBA. This is but a small moment in their campaign.

VALE John Coombes – Working Class Hero Jamie McMechan

The diminutive, white-haired Coombs was the MUA’s public face throughout the 1998 Patrick waterfront dispute. His determination to stand shoulder to shoulder with waterside workers and resist the sacking of workers energised a generation of workers and activists to resist the destructive forces of capital and reaffirm their commitment to collective action.

Can Do Capitalism Alexandra Hawkins

Scott Morrison in front of Parliament House prattles on about nothing wearing a hi-vis vest and holding up a piece of coal and a booklet. Meanwhile the water levels are rising and the crows are gathering.

Never too late Philip O’Donoghue

Members of the Unions WA Retired Members Group talk about unionism and what it means to them.

Fighting to Fix Early Childhood Education Ted Alexander Crosby

Early childhood educators have been fighting to fix the broken early years education and care sector. This film investigates what the big problems are, why it matters – and why it’s so important for educators and families to win this fight. This documentary was produced with the support of United Workers Union.

Climate Action a Workers Issue Amanda King, Fabio Cavadini, Jamie McMechan

The MUA has taken a bold stand on climate action. While the leadership have spoken up about the need for a just transition promoting the option of off-shore wind as a new industry for maritime workers, the rank and file are actively highlighting the challenges facing First Nations communities facing the onslaught of the Morrison Government’s ‘gas led recovery’. The MUA and Workers for Climate Action are taking a proactive role to support Gomeroi people in North-West NSW who are fighting attempts by Santos to dispossess them of their lands and build up to 850 coal-seam gas wells.

Hold That Line Okapi Guitar Band John Laidler

“What are we waiting for? Time to say what must be said.” This music video uses documentary and news footage to celebrate the struggle of working people, revolutionaries, climate activists, anti-war protesters and more..

Times Up       Roland Kay-Smith

Doctors in NSW are suing the NSW Government in the Supreme Court for wage theft. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to change the way junior doctors are treated. ASMOF’s claim sets out to change the Award to better reflect contemporary work practices, to penalise the NSW Government for breaching the existing Award and to recover unpaid overtime and entitlements

Lethal Bias CFMEU

The war on Australia’s construction workers. Million dollar fins, police raids, phone taps and trumped up criminal charges – the harshest anti-union laws in the western world.

Song for Christopher Gary McCarthy

The death of young worker Christopher Cassaniti on 1 April 2019 was a tragic injustice. Corners were cut on safety on the construction project where he worked that resulted in his needless death. The loss of Christopher to his family and their suffering is immeasurable.

Comrades – Vale Karl “The Bro” Braidotti  Jamie McMechan  

Karl won a workplace weight loss competition back in 2010. This short film showcases his efforts in shredding an incredible 40 plus kilograms in 3 months. Karl was surround by other wharfies all losing weight and raising much needed funds for the Sydney Children’s Hospital. However, recently Karl has been met with a savage battle from stage four terminal cancer. This celebrates his life and what he has achieved.

Let your Heart Rule Amanda King, Fabio Cavadini, Jamie McMechan

In 1966, after years of exploitation the Gurindji people led by Vincent Lingiari walked off the Wave Hill station owned by the Vesty corporation. During the 1960’s the Darwin wharfies, maritime union members led by Brian Manning drove down with a truck load of supplies to support the Gurindji people. The campaign spread among maritime unionists around the country, including the Aboriginal Wharfies Delegation in Sydney led by Charles ‘Chicka’ Dixon. The Gurindjis eventually won back their lands in 1976.

Freedom is Mine Mahmoud Salameh Abu Qutmah

This is an animated film about asylum seekers detained in Australia

SATURDAY FESTIVAL AWARDS NIGHT PROGRAM

A Rohingya’s Journey    Ed Coney

A refugee story of strength, hope and determination.

I’ll Stand With You Matt Norman

A short film dedicated to taking a stance against racism in sport.

Defend Errinundra Isaac Carné

Defend Errinundra narrates the struggle of a small community in East Gippsland (Vic) to save one of the last unburnt forests after the 2019-20 bushfires.

Bama Jahvis Loveday

After the first day of private school in the city, a young aboriginal boy reflects on his fear of losing the magic of family and community after being so far away from them.

Stand With Us Alex Bainbridge

Music video of Phil Monsour singing his “Stand With Us” outside the Kangaroo Point hotel/refugee prison interspersed with images from the campaign to #FreeTheKP120

Redbank David Bradbury

A shady consortium of investors seeks approval from the NSW Perrottet Govt to bring the mothballed Redbank power plant back into operation using the latest buzz words such as ‘clean’, ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’ Hydrogen energy, to burn what they euphemistically call ‘bio-mass’ – whole trees which will be clear felled in areas already struggling to provide habitat for koalas and other endangered species. The Redbanks furnaces will emit more Carbon than dirty coal fired power stations, while collecting a hefty subsidy for Verdant Earth Technologies from theNSW taxpayer.

Through Her Eyes Jason Haji-Ali

This film is a poetic composition of memory, influence and identity. First Nations filmmaker Jason Haji-Ali explores his cultural identity as he reflects on his childhood, the toxicity of social media and conversation with his grandmother, Phyllis. His grandmother’s stories help shape his understanding of what it means to be Aboriginal.

Urakka Sol (Speak Up) Harshana Manokaran

The film is based on the actors real life story. It depicts her journey through the pain of silence and the power of speaking up. It’s about the cultural barriers of speaking up about child sexual abuse experiences and reporting it.

Song for Christopher Gary McCarthy

The death of young worker Christopher Cassaniti on 1 April 2019 was a tragic injustice. Corners were cut on safety on the construction project where he worked that resulted in his needless death. The loss of Christopher to his family and their suffering is immeasurable.

Restart Zev Howley

Samantha’s life revolves around her phone and social media. This film explores what her world would be like if she could control her self-destructive excesses.

Mt Walker Khang Pham

Another mistake about to happen.

Resistance Kyle Portbury

A Dutch textile merchant struggles to evade capture in order to save a Jewish family from the Nazis. Based on real events.

Love & Revolution Jacqui North

Palestinian and queer women call for peace, justice, and an end to colonial violence and apartheid.

We Don’t have to Ask Permission Manic Seeds Media

‘We Don’t Have To Ask Permission’ is a tour of Direct Action within the climate justice movement in so-called Australia. From the forests of the Tarkine to the dust of Adani people from all walks of life decide to skill up and then act up.

Addressing Unfinished Business Amanda King, Fabio Cavadini, Jamie McMechan

A documentary about the role of the union movement in supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Thomas Mayor, National Indigenous Officer with the MUA has played an inspirational role reaching Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and audiences across the nation.

Cracked MAHMUT TAŞ

A little girl lives in a village with her mother where water sources are dwindling by day. Drought effects her imagination, even her doodles and drawings. People and nature struggle with the unrelenting aridness. This little girl though, never loses hope.

Swarm  Lukasz Termer

Swarm tells the story of a gutsy beekeeper, Peter, who challenges the Australian government’s inaction on climate change. When raging bushfires destroy his livelihood, Peter, who is as feisty as his bees, takes matters into his own hands making plenty of new friends and a few enemies along the way.

Freedom is Mine Mahmoud Salameh Abu Qutmah

This is an animation about Asylum Seekers detained in Australia

A Radical Hope Zebedee Galen Dowdell-Parkes

In recent years Australia has felt the impact of the climate crisis through fires and floods, leaving many people feeling despair and anxiety about the future.
A Radical Hope follows three high school students during the organizing of the March 25 Global Climate Strike in Sydney .

Saturday Emerging Filmmakers Screening Program 2.30pm

Go the Bees DTSFF

At COP 21 rally in Sydney, one bee pleads for people to save the planet.

Canteen In Space Josh Bell

Canteen In Space follows a group of young people impacted by cancer on their mission to launch a bandanna to the edge of space.

La Muerte: Stop the Killings Carielyn Tunion

In the Philippines, a humanitarian crisis is raging out of control. Since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office in June 2016, thousands have lost their lives in his administration’s confected “War Against Drugs” and bloody crackdown on civil society. The Morrison Government refuses to condemn President Duterte while  Australian security agencies provide “technical assistance”.

Lines in the Sand Jen Davidson

Ninety year old Scientist and Surfer Tom Kirsop has devoted a lifetime to protecting the coasts and has had to protect himself in the process.

There is a River Dan Marjason

Music Duo Hurdy Gurdy have recorded their song, There Is A River, about water politics in Australia and the need to share from upstream to those below and into the sea.

Iran is not fictional Bean Boy

Stories of three different women living in Iran are shared. A small glimpse into their lives to show that Iran is more than the news all hear on the media. There are real people living there with real struggles that the US is only worsening.

You’re Always Welcome in Lakemba DTSFF

Lakemba residents were trained in filmaking techniques and showed a sceptical media the best of Lakemba, it’s residents.

Dalanngaroo Ngarringaloo Mark Munk Ross, Brad Steadman

The traditional-contemporary story of the Barwon River and the impacts colonisation

The Western Front Badgery’s Creek Stephen Rutherford

A dramatisation of the concerns and issues that may impact on the environment and wellbeing of people living in areas affected by the Badgerys Creek airport.

John Coombes DTSFF

Using footage filmed at the 1998 Patrick’s wharfies despite, this video is a tribute to the leadership of John Coombes, MUA National Secretary.

Syron Jenny Fraser Gordon

Syron is the God Father of Contemporary Aboriginal Art in Australia, and turned 80 in December 2021.

Make a submission to the Disability Royal Commission Sarah Barton

This short documentary encourages disabled people to share their stories of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation with the disability Royal Commission.

Flatline Shannon Meilak

A jovial man slowly becomes a zombie whilst attempting to apply for government welfare. He finds himself caught in bureaucratic red tape and struggling with his escalating hunger for human flesh.

Saturday Film Festival Screening 2, 4pm

Justin for Justice Tiger Gill-Finigan

Justen an Aboriginal man with intellectual disability, is an advocate for people with intellectual disability coming into contact with the Justice system.

Heart Swell Kimberly Bautista

Amber fears drowning in her own emotions after a half-hearted suicide attempt. During a fraught trip to the beach with her mother, she encounters her inner child and learns to swim in the depths of her memories, confronting a rape that she never grieved.

Land of the Free: In the Shadows James Ganiere

Land of the Free: In the shadows is a groundbreaking documentary containing never-before-seen nefarious and subversive facts, blowing the lid off secrets behind the big business of LEGALLY killing endangered species for pride, pleasure and profit.

Monska C. R. Robin Isabella Andronos

When a dance competition opens up in their town, a group of young girls take it upon themselves to perform their own distinct routine.

Hartley Heritage Under Threat Khang Pham

We are about to lose another important heritage for our children and our children’s children.

Three Generations – Rafeel Ziadah Phil Monsour

Rafeef Ziadah’s poem Three Generations is a deeply moving, powerful, personal remembrance of Palestine, Al-Nakba, exile, defiance, and survival. It is also a beautiful testament to the human spirit, to ‘love and joy against skies of steel’.

Possum Dreaming Khang Pham

Another Aboriginal heritage ( Wuradjuri ) about to be chewed up by an over engineering upgrade.

Inspiration Plains Harriet McKern

A residential nexus for older female artists where liveability meets creativity and the numbers count…Ka-ching! Why not come along and join Sister Abstraction’s sharing circle today?

Rylstone Region Under Threat Phil Joseph

The beauty of the Rylstone Region and the passion of it’s community demand protection from coal exploration.

La Tansouna (Don’t Forget Us) Sarah Ghassali

A newly-arrived refugee seeks asylum in Australia, escaping persecution to live his life freely on safer lands.

Wildfire Shyam Karki

A little red panda, a rare species, has become homeless as a result of the recent 16-day wildfire in the Nepali mid-hills, yet one more of a growing number of symptoms of the climate crises that spares no human nor animal.

The program is subject to changes