Held annually in a different region each year, the Indigenous Remote Media Festival brings together remote community broadcasters from over 120 communities across Australia. This year the Festival will form part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of TEABBA – Top End Bush Broadcasting Association. For over 20 years TEBBA has been providing operational support for 29 remote Indigenous broadcasting units in Aboriginal communities across the Top End of Australia known as RIBS – Remote Indigenous Broadcasting Service.

Recently, TEABBA has been involved in the development of Film and Television, increasing the opportunities of Indigenous Australians to maintain and appreciate their language and culture through this technology. The ‘Yarning Up’ project has been successful in thrusting several remote Indigenous filmmakers into the international spotlight, after their films were entered into film festivals all over the world. Four films from local Indigenous filmmakers will be shown at the Deckchair Cinema in October.

Malcolm Wilson from Milikapiti on the Tiwi Islands film “10 wives” tells the story of Muluwurri a man whose brothers have broken the law with his wives and so he seeks revenge. From Bewsick Community comes Revonna Urban’s reflections on Victor Hood – the boss of his country – Victor shares moments in time that have worked to make him who is today. ‘Nundhirribala’s Dream’ directed by Ella Geia currently living in Numbulwar is a story of a dream that became reality and changed the course of one man’s personal and cultural life. And from Barunga Community comes Queenie Brennan’s ‘Barngngrnn Marrangu Story’ set in the early 1960s about a mother and father who escape from the reserve with their children through Jawyon land.

The 2009 National Indigenous Remote Media Festival will held in Darwin October 5-9 with ‘Yarning Up’ screening at the Deckchair Cinema Friday October 9. For more information call 8939 0400.