BLACKBIRD (13 mins, PG) is now available to watch online for free in Australia via the SBS OnDemand platform until 2024. Stream on your computer or phone: CLICK HERE
BLACKBIRD screened at the New Zealand International Film Festival; imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival, Toronto 2016; the Pasifika Film Festival, Sydney 2016, where it picked up the Best of the Fest award and Maoriland Film Festival where it received the People’s Choice Audience Award for Best Short. BLACKBIRD was awarded Best Drama and Best Female Lead (Regina Lepping) at Sydney Indie Film Festival, 2017. It went on to screen at the 69th Berlinale International Film Festival in Feb 2019.
BLACKBIRD tells the story of Solomon Islander siblings, Rosa & Kiko, who were kidnapped from their island home to work on a sugar cane plantation in Queensland, Australia in the late 1800s. Rosa struggles to keep an eye on her young spirited brother who comes into conflict with their overseer. And as Kiko journeys into adulthood, amidst oppression and severe loss of culture and identity, he must find his will to survive. More information: BLACKBIRD webpage
The film is written and directed by Amie Batalibasi and stars Solomon Islanders Jeremy Bobby and Regina Lepping. Thanks to NITV for acquiring the film for the next three years.
For those outside of Australia, BLACKBIRD can be viewed on DVD, Vimeo & Kanopy. For details: click here
