Embellishment Storytellers Announced at Glittering Launch Event
On a winter’s evening at Sapphos Bookshop in Glebe in Sydney, women from all walks of life and backgrounds gathered as Voices of Women presented two Guest Speakers, and announced the Highly Commended and Selected Storytellers for Embellishment. The program follows on from the incredible success of Entanglement the feature film and its short films which have been officially selected and has won awards in 26 film festivals in 10 countries around the world including Australia.
For too long women have been told to keep quiet, not to say anything or have been talked over while speaking. This is why Voices of Women is so important and why it needs to continue. We couldn’t be prouder of the all the women – writers, actors, directors, producers and the creatives – behind the amazing stories told by, filmed and performed by women but resonating with everyone. That is truly a feat.
Whether older, younger, no matter culture, colour or country we can only ensure women’s voices are heard by expanding this important and empowering program.
With MC Michele Seminara, the evening kicked off with Antoinette Lattouf, an award-winning journalist, broadcaster and columnist. Antoinette read a powerful excerpt about her life as a young girl in high school, from her book How to Lose Friends and Influence White People and her experience as co-founder of Media Diversity Australia.
Our second guest was Bina Bhattacharya, an award-winning filmmaker and AWGIE-nominated feature film writer from Campbelltown in South-West Sydney. Bina was one of eight writers for the anthology film Here Out West which opened the Sydney Film Festival 2021 and spoke about her life growing up in Western Sydney, the challenges of coming from a multi-racial family, and her identity that has grown with her passion for creativity and her craft.
Michele acknowledged and thanked the incredible and continued support that The Carla Zampatti Foundation has given to Voices of Women and that of Multicultural NSW, Create NSW, NSW Office of Regional Youth, and local government supporters Dubbo Council and Wagga Wagga Council and our community collaborators across NSW including as Shopfront Arts Coop for youth theatre in Sydney, Janymili Bawrunnga and Shoretrack in Macksville, Oddball Theatre and Aunty Cheryl Penrith OAM in Wagga Wagga, Shoalhaven Regional Gallery in Nowra and Studio 138 in Dubbo.
Embellishment Associate Producer Lucy Heffernan announced the Highly Commended writers who will be presented with certificates for their achievement. Artistic Director Lliane Clarke announced the Selected writers, who will receive a cash prize and have their stories presented live at the KXT Broadway Theatre in August.
Thank you to all the writers who submitted their stories for Embellishment and all the guests and their friends who came along! Keep writing! Stay creative!
Highly Commended
Three Lessons by Coco Huang, a Chinese-Australian writer, musician and scientist.
The Pact by Donna Hughes, an award-winning playwright based on Whadjuk Noongar land, Walyalup (Fremantle, Western Australia).
Too Much by Gayelene Carbis an Australian-Chinese-Cornish-Irish writer who lives and works on the unceded land of the Boonwurrung people of Victoria.
The Book by Dubbo-based First Nations writer, performer and producer Kalina Davis.
Last Night I Dreamt I Slept with Putin, by Sarah Klenbort, an American born writer now living and teaching writing in Queensland.
Travesty by Wagga Wagga based writer and director Sally Jackson.
Pink Wig by Gumbaynggir young writer Monica Bognar.
The Tiara by emerging actor and writer Georgie Saunders from Dubbo.
Just Me by Shannon Barnes, a proud Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan woman of the Pilaarrkiyalu (belah tree) people.
The Eye by Yuin nation, South Coast NSW writer Lorien Watson-Keast.
The Lighthouse by Yuin nation, South Coast NSW writer and performer Nicole Smede.
The Masked Warrior and Her Familiar by First Nations and Latin America Nowra based artist Raquel Rebolledo.
The Teapot and the Sea Turtle by Michele Donovan, Gumbaynggir Elder and CEO of Unkya Local Aboriginal Land Council.
Dragon Lady by Wagga Wagga performer, writer and director Saasha McMillan.
Life is Messy by Gumbaynggir Elder health worker and community legend Penny Stadhams.
Wandering Ghosts by American Chinese Australian writer and composer Christine Chen.
Planes Trains and Cars by Wagga Wagga based Azidi Australian writer and performer Haya Arzidin.
Selected
The Soul Care Motel by Jeanine DeHoney, a black American published author from New York, whose work has appeared in several anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul.
The Date by Sarah Strong an emerging writer who has just graduated from a Masters Creative Writing at the University of Melbourne.
Sweetie by Melbourne based writer, poet, playwright and songwriter Louise Hopewell.
Special Performance by Dubbo-based First Nations writer, performer and producer Kalina Davis.
Observance by Suzi Mezei, a prize winning Sri Lankan born Australian writer living on Kulin land in Melbourne.
The Jinn in a Well by Madhavi Johnson from Chennai, India, now living in Melbourne She worked with UNICEF in India, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Kenya, Namibia and New York and published her first collection of short stories in 2020.
Down the Beach by Gumbaynggir visual artist Yaara Straede from Bowraville, NSW.
Where Once I Saw Her Dance by Anne Casey, a poet, writer and literary editor originally from the west of Ireland, living in Sydney, Australia.
Stuck in My Head by Sydney-based journalist and writer Kirsty Jagger.
Words of Advice by Wiradjuri elder, performer, fashionista, recent OAM recipient and Riverina community legend Cheryl Penrith.