Richard Frankland – April 17 2016

Richard is a writer, producer, director and musician of Gunditjmara origin. He has worked as a soldier, fisherman and field officer to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Richard’s debut film, Stone Bros., was the first film to be written and directed by an Aboriginal artist. He has been involved in creating over 50 films, documentaries and television shows and has his own film company, Koorreen Enterprises. Richard’s other works include the plays Walkabout, The Brady Bunch and Walking into the Bigness; the film Harry’s War, the two-part television documentary The Convincing Ground and the books, Digger J Jones and Yellow Hair. An acclaimed musician, Richard co-founded Songlines Aboriginal Music Corporation. He holds a Master of Arts degree, founded Mirimbiak Nations Aboriginal Corporation (MNAC) and was instrumental in forming Defenders of Native Title (DONT) which later became Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR).

Conversations with the Dead
Published in Blak Inside: Six Indigenous Plays from Victoria
Currency Press, 2002; ISBN 9780868196626
Full length play; 1 female, 5 male, 1 musician
Imagine that you’re a Koorie, that you’re in your mid-twenties, that your job is to look into the lives of the dead and the process, policy and attitude that killed them. Jack is employed by the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. In his role he listens to the stories of grieving families and re-creates the lives of those who have died. This is a powerful, savage play which takes you into the aching sorrow of deaths in custody.

Stone Bros.
DVD (MA), Region 4; 90 minutes
Published by Madman; released 2010
City-based Eddie sets off to reconnect with his blackfella roots and return a sacred stone entrusted to its home. What ensues is a riotous trip through the outback with his cousin, his cousin’s drag queen cousin, and a ‘hot chick’ who turns out to be a self obsessed Italian stallion. The foursome encounters a host of eccentric characters, attends a literally explosive wedding ceremony, conspires to hold up an outback museum and is pursued by a vicious demon dog.