Dusty Feet Mob Win Best Documentary at 2020 South Australian Screen Awards
The Winners of the 2020 South Australian Screen Awards were announced on Friday 4 December in an online Awards ceremony.
Local Port Augusta artists Dusty Feet Mob took home the award for the BEST DOCUMENTARY Category.
The winning documentary Dusty Feet Mob - This Story’s True focuses on the Dusty Feet Mob as they prepare to perform their signature song to Archie Roach’s ‘Took the Children Away’. The dancers and their dedicated supporters offer creative, intergenerational and deeply emotional insights into the story of the Stolen Generation and are determined to carry on Uncle Archie’s legacy.
Dusty Feet Mob – This Story’s True was one of two documentaries created through the Port Augusta Emerging Film Development Program, a series of development and production workshops for emerging Aboriginal screen creatives which was held from July to October in 2019. It was funded and presented by the SAFC through its Aboriginal Screen Strategy, along with Country Arts SA with support from the City of Port Augusta, delivered by Change Media with additional support from the Australia Council for the Arts.
Throughout the documentary Dusty Feet Mob’s young Aboriginal performers dance their way into the hearts and minds of their enraptured audiences, using the power of song and dance to tell stories of the Stolen Generation. The Dusty Feet Mob not only dance together, they build connection to culture, community and country. Storytelling through dance and song is a powerful way of entering into past hurts and injustices experienced by Aboriginal families in a way that allows both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to grow in acceptance, understanding and empathy together.
Dusty Feet Mob are strongly supported by parents, grandparents and the Port Augusta Community, and take the role of passing knowledge and stories down to the younger generations seriously. Dusty Feet Mob provides opportunities for young people to learn about themselves and develop leadership skills for life.
Port Augusta City Council Mayor Brett Benbow stated “It is terrific news to hear that the local performers won the documentary category in the 2020 SA Screen Awards. The Dusty Feet Mob are well known across Port Augusta and perform at many local events. The group are natural and emotional performers, who have a way of capturing audiences with dance. I sincerely congratulate The Dusty Feet Mob on winning this award, and admire the way they have managed to tell their generational story to a wider audience.”
Dusty Feet Mob - This Story’s True
Producers: Carl Kuddell & Jennifer Lyons-Reid, Directors: Johanis Lyons-Reid & Paul Tanner
A special replay of the Awards broadcast will be shown on Channel 44 on 3 January 2020.
The Dusty Feet Mob – This Story’s True documentary can be viewed online.
For further information please contact Council’s Media and Communications Officer on (08) 8641 9100
JOHN BANKS
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
8/12/2020