Rachel Perkins

Rachel Perkins "is an Arrernte woman from the Central Desert region east of Alice Springs. At twenty seven, her career spans ten years of specialisation in Indigenous film and television.

"At eighteen Rachel began working with Imparja Television, an Aboriginal owned TV Station in the Central Australian Desert. There she produced and directed indigenous language and current affairs programming. In 1991, Rachel moved to Sydney and started working with the SBS Television Channel as the Executive Producer of the Aboriginal Television Unit. Through SBS she produced and directed the four part, one hour documentary series, BLOOD BROTHERS for which she was awarded the innagural 'Tudawali' award for excellence in Indigenous film and television. She was also the Executive Producer of a number of documentaries and a ten part Indigenous children's series MANYU WANNA.

"In 1993 she established her own production company BLACKFELLA FILMS which focuses on innovative films by Indigenous people. The company's first project was FROM SPIRIT TO SPIRIT, a thirteen part half hour international co-production by Maori, Sami, Native Canadian and Aboriginal documentary filmmakers. Blackfella Films has also produced a number of corporate productions for clients such as QANTAS Airlines, produced multi-media installations and facilitated film festivals in Sydney and Berlin.

"In 1995, Rachel was awarded the first Indigenous scholarship to study producing at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Whilst at the school Rachel also directed a short film for Channel Four. In the same year Rachel worked as a consultant to the Australian Film Commission and financed and developed the first INDIGENOUS DRAMA INITIATIVE, (Sand to Celluloid) a package of six short films by Indigenous filmmakers. Blackfella Films recently produced a short drama PAY BACK for theatrical release and broadcast on SBS as part of this package.

"Rachel was then appointed to the ABC as the Executive Producer of the Indigenous Programs Unit in 1996. There she initiated a number of new television series. 'Songlines', a nine part series on black music and the eight part National Indigenous Documentary Fund, the first fund of its kind. Rachel took leave early this year to direct her debut feature 'RADIANCE' written by Lois Nowra (HEAVENS BURNING, COSI, MAP OF THE HUMAN HEART). Radiance is scheduled for release in March 1998."

Recent Work

• First Australians (2008)