Multicultural Film Festival Screening Event

In partnership with the Victorian Multicultural Commission and Swinburne University of Technology, Bunjil Place is proud to present the Multicultural Film Festival 2025 Screening Event. 

This celebrated short film festival explores diversity and multiculturalism through powerful and thought-provoking films from around the globe.

Complimenting the screening will be a pre-film live performance by local Southeast musician ELAURA, welcoming address by VMC Deputy Chairperson Bwe Thay, and post film Q&A with filmmakers. 

The Multicultural Film Festival showcases stories from filmmakers of all backgrounds, including emerging creatives, reflecting the richness of multiculturalism. 

Film Program

Housekeepers 
_{^{Directed and written by Kaede Miyamura, Produced by Anna Warwick and Evangeline Parks, Key cast Shion Chenhall and Chie Maruyama, Victoria, Australia}}
A tween’s childhood comes to a premature end when her non-English speaking mother is sacked from her job, forever changing the dynamic of their parent-child relationship. Housekeepers is told from the perspective of the daughter and her struggles. Faced with challenging choices and interrogations of the matriarch, the protagonist explores the effects of immigration in their family history.

Old Faces 
_{^{Directed and written by Tamir Anshtein, Produced by Tamir Anshtein and Zack Licenblat, Key cast Albert Goikhman, Max Nappo, Alexandra Jones and Alex Solomonovich, Victoria, Australia}}
A Jewish Soviet prisoner, who yearns to see his children one final time, suddenly wakes up in Modern Melbourne, Australia. The film is a meditation on the immigration and diasporic experience, examining alienation, confusion and homesickness from the perspective of those who are displaced. The film explores how traditional communities grapple with assimilation and misunderstanding, forcing them to decide which aspects of their identity they can afford to change and what they must preserve.

Hosh Bulduk: A Turkish Migration Story
_{^{Directed written and produced by Kuranda Seyfi Seyit State, Victoria, Australia}}
A documentary that chronicles the migration of 8,000 Turkish migrants to Victoria between 1968 - 1974, following their journey of settlement and the positive contributions to local communities.

Gabriel   
_{^{Directed and written by Kevin Duran Du, Produced by Moly Sizer, Key cast Adam Emanuel Zammit, Daniel Masini and Connor Macdonald, Victoria, Australia}}
Gabriel, a recent immigrant, grapples with employment and whether to show his nationality on his resume. He sets out to find a job but is daunted by language and social barriers. An unpleasant encounter prompts him to reflect on his family and the cultural and societal values they instilled in him.

Still   
_{^{Directed and written by Cornelius Marco, Produced by Adrian Dias, Key cast Peter Jiang and Rebekah Lin, Victoria, Australia}}
Still is set in a post-COVID world, where subsets of generations are presented with a new digital anxiety. The film follows an immigrant who lives in isolation and embarks on a street photography competition. The subject of the story is driven by contradictory ideas of passion and success, exacerbated by the digital noise that surrounds him. The film is a reflection on stillness, overstimulation, connection and passion.

The Way to Freedom  
_{^{Directed by Hussam Saraf and Darryl McConnell, Written by Hussam Saraf Produced by Darryl McConnell Key cast Kayla Doncon, students and staff from Greater Shepparton Secondary College, Victoria, Australia}}
A documentary that follows the journey of refugees fleeing war torn countries in search of safety and a new life in Australia. The film chronicles the experiences of local immigrants in Greater Shepparton as they take their first steps upon arrival to years of integrating in the community. Through intimate interviews and storytelling, we hear
of their hope, resilience and strength and the transformative power of education and community in creating a path to freedom.

Dance with Pride
_{^{Directed and written by Javier Cataño-Gonzalez Produced by Jorge Luis Cruzado Key cast Wendy Nedd, Victoria, Australia}}
A film about the transformative journey of a Columbian dancer at Victoria’s Pride Street Party. Wendy Nedd embarks on a transformative journey, where movement takes on multiple meanings. As she navigates the challenges of immigration, both physical and emotional, she finds strength through dance.

Mechanical Resonance
_{^{Directed, written and produced by Juejun Chen Key cast Juejun Chen, Kassel, Germany}}
A reflective and experimental documentary, Mechnical Resonance explores the relentlessness of dancer training and the effects on the body. Following a dancer who remembers the stringent training as a child, she discovers dance is imprinted on her body, bringing back memories from her childhood.
 

Ngadjuri 
_{^{Directed and produced by Quenten Agius and Kim Mavromatis, Written by Quenten Agius Key cast Quenten Agius, South Australia, Australia}}
The film explores the meaning of being Aboriginal, as the First Peoples of this nation. A collaboration from Ngadjuri country, the mid north and southern Flinders Ranges in South Australia, the film incorporates 10 years of archival material from multiple cameras and drones to provide majestic imagery of the sacred region.

Outpicker
_{^{Directed and written by Le Luo, Produced by Feifei Liao Key cast Jing Yang, Victoria, Australia}}
Outpicker is an environmental documentary that focusses on queer immigrant, Jing, who finds a sense of belonging in Australia through litter picking. The film explores Jing’s actions in waste minimalisation, and his involvement in community organising through his interactions with multicultural queer women in Victoria.

Companion 
_{^{Directed, written and produced by Alireza Memariani, Key cast Ali Zahedi and Ghanbar (pigeon),  Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran}}
A true story about a man and his bird, Companion is a gentle exploration of friendship that transcends human boundaries. Told with poetic and cinematic overtones, the man and his bird are observed traveling through time and space.

You are my tomorrow 
_{^{Directed and written by Lara Köse, Produced by William Duan and Molly O’Connor, Key cast Melissa Kahraman and Ayşe Altunkılıç, Victoria, Australia}}
You are my Tomorrow is a deeply personal reflection. It follows the story of Esra, a young ambitious art student, who is forced to care for her mentally unstable mother. The weight of responsibility, and deeply ingrained cultural values, ensnares Esra in an oppressive pattern of endless caregiving and duty. An intimate and challenging portrait of intergenerational trauma in immigrant families.
 

Content Warning: These films are unclassified, parental guidance is recommended.

ELAURA
Chilean-blooded and Australian-born ELAURA is a Neo-Soul and R&B artist blending catchy melodies, spoken word, and her mother tongue, Spanish, to create a sound that is both intimate and powerful. Growing up in the forested valleys of the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, her music is deeply rooted in storytelling, honoring the voices of those who came before her.

With over 40,000 Spotify streams, ELAURA’s artistry has captured industry attention, leading to a showcase with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in 2023. Her sound is often compared to Solange, Jorja Smith and Cleo Sol, fusing ethereal production with soulful vocals and deeply personal lyricism.

A true force on stage, ELAURA’s live performances are immersive, transformative, and not to be missed. Her debut EP set for release this year, is a fearless exploration of self-worth, resilience, and empowerment.

In partnership with the Victorian Multicultural Commission and Swinburne University of Technology