Projects Supported
POWER TO COUNTRY
A portrait of life thrown into crisis by energy insecurity, Power to Country tells the story of Garrwa woman Shirley Simon’s displacement from traditional homelands and her yearning to return.
Directed by Josef Jakamarra Egger (Warlpiri)
Supervising Direction by Genevieve Grieves (Worimi)
1st Assistant Direction by Conrad Rory (Gudanji/Garrwa)
Produced by Andrea Distefano
Field Production by Libby Collins (Tiwi)
Co-Produced by Maya Ghattas
Executive Produced by Kelrick Martin
Consulting Production by Kieran Satour (Gurindji/Malngin, Pertame Arrernte & Worimi)
PRODUCTION GRANT
SYNOPSIS
Power to Country is an intimate portrait of Garrwa woman Shirley Simon, displaced by global shifts in climate and a lack of stable power. Shirley was forced to leave her family’s homelands on a beautiful island in remote Northern Territory because of energy insecurity but the place she escapes to, the nearby town of Borroloola, is also dealing with an energy crisis. As a strong matriarch, Shirley wants to ensure her descendants are connected to their country and culture — community-owned solar power might just be the solution she needs to return home.
As many communities across Australia face severe environmental threats, community-owned solar power operator, Original Power, is building knowledge, resourcing action, and creating the connections that will galvanise change.
Images: Ryan Andrew Lee (DOP)