by Lliane Clarke and Kaye Tuckerman
Why did we make this film?
Sharing stories changes the world, changes the paradigm of conversation globally and changes our shared experience. This film comes at a time when the power and uniqueness of a voice of a woman across the world is even more important to share. Women’s lives are made up of an entanglement of obligations, hopes and dreams and cultural connection and expectation. Yet our commonalities across cultures and countries are strong and what we have in common is expressed in our every day lives. Inevitably our lives are marked by injustice and trauma of the past, but when we share that with an open heart as a first person speaking, we create a deep empathy and understanding of what we are facing. And while tolerance is an outcome, also inspiration and joy and love follow.
What is the creative vision of the film?
Personal stories in short form are the basis of the creative vision and spoken and written by women across two vast nations. At the heart of the vision is storytelling and diversity, with First Nations stories at the centre. Smashing the stories together with music written in direct response to them creates a collage of organic spoken word and musical soundscape that reflects a playlist of story. Colour and light are intense and saturated as we leap from one world to the next. The overall effect is a picture of women speaking to us directly from their heart.
Who is the audience for the film?
Global audience. Mostly over 18, all genders. Both women, men, and other identifying, have watched and loved the film I private viewings and film festivals. It is not a specific message to women only. The audience is anyone who enjoys a good story, learning about women’s journeys and experiences.
What is the relationship to the characters?
The relationship of the stories is the shared interconnected experiences of female identity. The stories come from an open competition to women to write a short personal story in response to the word Entanglement. After 300 entries, just 12 were chosen to be performed in the film. Some are performed by the writer themselves, in others an actor portrays the story. They are a direct response to what women want to say about their lives now. The actors are raw and honest, well spoken, articulate, and on a quest for truth. We are proud to present stories that come from First Nations cultures in Australia and the USA and gender diverse and culturally diverse stories filmed in a dynamic and intensely creative form.
What is the artistic vision behind the film?
The film is a collage, made up of several levels and layers. 300 entries and only 12 stories selected. 12 actors and 12 writers. 1 composer and 3 musicians. 2 countries and 3 directors. How does it all come together? The artistic vision of pulling it together comes from the music, a sense of overarching story rhythm created as a sculptural response to the stories by the artistic director, and the text itself, interwoven with the words and voices of women.
What is the future?
Voices of Women would like to expand upon this template, and create an ongoing global docu-series, of interconnected women’s stories. To elevate, empower and inspire the female voice.
Voices of Women, would be proud to be matched with strategists who can guide, build and expand our vision globally, into a monetised product, a powerful ongoing global documentary-series; joyous, raw, humorous, powerful, heartbreaking, empowering, inspiring. A series that provides a platform for women’s stories from around the world.