Australia Burns: Silence of the land and Gibbergunyah Cultural Burn

To commemorate the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, we are screening Australia Burns: Silence of the Land. This documentary features various locations, including our community and other communities who were impacted by this landmark event in Australian history. 

Australia Burns: Silence of the Land will be screened at the Empire Cinema in Bowral on Wednesday 31 January at 6.00 pm and is FREE! This film is the first and the official launch of Earth Flix: Cinema 4 Change, which is a series of environmentally focused monthly film screenings run by Wingecarribee Shire Council.

Australia Burns: Silence of the Land is written and directed by Shane McLachlan of Shooting Picture Partners, and first premiered in 2021 on SBS. This film provides an inspirational look at the way people respond to crisis and its true cost to the human spirit, wildlife and the lands during the unprecedented devastation of the bushfires. It also explores impacting factors such as the changing climate and land management. Please see the trailer below.

While sharing stories of bushfire trauma can be traumatic, the aim of this screening is not only to respectfully mark this important time for our community, but also to support community members’ resilience and recovery from the bushfires.

Screening For the First Time:

This event will also screen for the very first-time a short documentary, Gibbergunyah Reserve Cultural Burn, filmed on Gundungurra land, it captures a culturally significant event and features members of the local Aboriginal Community. It delves into the traditional land management technique of cultural burning and the resulting benefits on biodiversity and reduction in fuel loads. This insightful short film provides a unique perspective on the historical and cultural context of Aboriginal land management and the connection to country that is so important for the health and well-being of first nations people. This project has been jointly funded by the Australian and the New South Wales Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund. See the preview below. 

Following the screening join us for an in-depth discussion with guest speakers:

• Australia Burns - Shane McLachlan the producer of Australia Burns.
• Gibbergunyah Cultural Burn Short - Indigenous Gundungurra elder Aunty Sharon Halls, Jim Halls, Den Barber from Yarrabin Cultural connections and the film producer Suzannah Cowley. 

We hope to see you at our screening on Wednesday 31 January at 6.00 pm. Click here to book!

This project received grant funding from the Australian Government.

When

Location

Empire Cinema, Bowral main street.

Empire cinema, 327 Bong Bong Street, Bowral, 2576, View Map