Brisbane Screen Activism of the 80’s and Now

Long before the 2032 Olympics started impacting this city, cameras and protests were activated around other ‘mega events’: the 1982 Commonwealth Games and Expo 88

Magandjin / Brisbane has a powerful history of activist filmmaking, documenting battles over land, human rights, environment, heritage and culture.

This event brings together activists, concerned citizens, 1980s filmmakers and today’s social-media content creators to ask: what can we learn from each other, and how can screen culture activate more people to take a stand, either side of the camera?

Since colonisation, Brisbane ‘mega events’ have been a trojan horse that Queensland politicians have used to fast track change that many people wouldn’t agree to if they knew what was going to happen, and how. Politicians reduce rights to information, show flashy artist impressions, avoid questions and distract the public from what is really going on, and what it will cost them and their electorates.

1982 COMMONWEALTH GAMES → 1988 WORLD EXPO 88 →

2032 OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC GAMES

Right now Queensland is repeating history under the banner of Brisbane2032 and ‘dig baby dig’. There’s an escalation of: breaking promises, resuming public and private land, bypassing laws and regulations, surveillance, police and security intimidation, rewarding donors and developers, jobs for the boys, removing basic civil liberties, and having abject disregard for First Nations people, their rights and heritage. And there are 6 years to go.

Through short films, clips and conversation, this event will celebrate the activism of those who stood up, and those who documented. We’ll see parallels and contrasts in the organisation of First Nations protests around the 1982 Commonwealth Games, the transformation of South Brisbane for Expo 88, and the contemporary bulldozing of environment, heritage and democratic principles for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and private interests. These are the tips of icebergs.

16mm → Super 8 → video → digital → phone → social media

From 16mm and Super 8, to smartphones and drones, the tools have changed, but the camera remains a witness. Activist film-making can document change as it unfolds, preserve evidence, challenge official narratives, inspire action and let the world know.

Speakers include Kamilaroi and Ngemba Elder and activist Uncle Bob Weatherall, filmmakers Deb Beattie, Steve Stockwell, Wendy Rogers, Jy and Leon of Tight Knit, and visiting academics Jenni Minner (Cornell University NY, USA) and Martin Abbott (ANU, Canberra). More to be announced.

At this time of rapid urban transformation, ‘mega-event amnesia‘, declining engagement with traditional media and decreasing job security for journalists and cartoonists, we need to support more reporters and community activists to hold power to account.

Join this free, face to face, all-volunteer celebration of Brisbane’s activist screen culture and night of short films, talks + networking.

Bring young and old, students, artists, writers, journalists, trade unionists, photographers, environmentalists, historians, creatives and anyone interested to get involved!

Kindly supported by 4ZZZ-FM, Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research, Brisbane Labour History Association, Frontyard Films, Radio Reversal and all the speakers and filmmakers who have all generously donated their time and creativity.