‘A Nation, Found’ is an art film combining poetry, dance, costume,
music, and filmmaking. The film deals with the foundation of
Australia and imagines what a ‘Treaty’ between Indigenous Australians and the wider
community might mean, in abstract, poetic terms.
Written and directed by Arman S. Haghi, ‘A Nation,
Found’ is a collaboration between a diverse
group of people of Indigenous, non-indigenous, and recent migrant backgrounds.
The cast and crew developed new friendships, which resulted in other collaborations
including two short films which also have indigenous identity at their core,
and have been screened at TEDx and at Australia’s premier National Centre for Indigenous Excellence
(NCIE).
The film was beautifully shot by Chris Ras and Aya
Ishi of the expert cinematography and color grading company, Lightfundi. The
soundtrack features a composition that is a collaboration between Brenden
Moore, an indigenous man performing the didgeridoo, and Alex J. Steed, a
non-indigenous Australian man who is passionate about Treaty and indigenous
issues. The narrator, Be Suren is a Turkish-Australian singer-songwriter, who
herself is also passionate about indigenous issues. The costumes were expertly
designed and created by Cathy Sparkes.
At the heart of the film, ‘A Nation Found’ is the political story of indigenous rights and
cultural awareness. Arman S. Haghi brings to the film his own journey, as a
recent immigrant from Iran, which has informed his understanding of the
importance of belonging and a connection to a homeland, a sacred place. “The
film, like every Treaty, and anything human, is imperfect, I know, but it’s a good starting point … in a way, I guess one way of
making sure we remember the history, present, and future, of the lands where we
stand, live, and thrive.”
The soul of the film is the three accomplished artists
who perform in the lead roles. Eve White, an indigenous Wiradjuri woman who
teaches aboriginal art and in schools, is also a well-known professional
dancer/choreographer, performing internationally for the past two decades.
Jessica Steed studied at Ecole Ballet and Dance Theatre and earned her BA
Honors in Ballet and Contemporary Dance at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary
Dance. A professional dancer, Jessica has choreographed and danced in Australia
and the UK. Emma Potts performs the role of The Heart. She is an
Australian-born actor living in Los Angeles, known for various film and
television roles including: ‘Sketches from a Dancer’s Album’, ‘Torment’, and ‘Pimped’. Emma is celebrated for her complex and dark
performances while also portraying strong female characters on screen.
‘A Nation, Found’ was recognized by being a
shortlisted at Tropfest Film Festival in 2018.
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