MAMU

2014

Short Film

Curtis Taylor

“If you share their secrets, the Mamu will get you.”

Bobby Jay, a young Martu man, has dismissed the warnings.  He takes photos of sacred rock paintings and posts them on his Facebook site.

Curtis Taylor, a CuriousWorks filmmaker from the Martu mob in remote Western Australia, has produced an eerie and spiritual short film of the implications for the character of Bobby. The film was made with the enthusiastic involvement and cooperation of the Martu community and many others from their area. (See the ‘Read More’ section below.)

In particular, we would like to recognise the actor Corey Flatt who played ‘Bobby’. He has sadly passed away since the filming on Mamu.

Mamu has been broadcast nationally on SBS, still regularly appears on NITV, and gained international recognition by being accepted into the 2014 imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival in Canada.

SYNOPSIS

Mamu explores the Martu concept of yulupyidi, that in the Jukurrpa (the Dreamtime) “how it was is how it always will be”.  Traditional beliefs still exist in a contemporary setting and Bobby Jay’s disregard for his culture brings serious consequences that stand as a warning for others.  This film asks the question of the audience, “How will the Jukurrpa continue to exist in today’s world?”

Mamu was created as part of The Stories Project. It, in turn, was an element of our community program, through which we develop cultural leaders from marginalised communities into entrepreneurs that can make professional creative media for the consumption of mainstream Australia as their full-time job. These young leaders eventually take over CuriousWorks’ role in their community and are the centre of a hub of media and arts activities in their region.

DIRECTOR'S VISION

“This film, Mamu, it’s about right, it’s about wrong. It’s about the past and the future, the new and the old.”

Curtis Taylor speaks about his experience of directing his first narrative based short film.

BEHIND THE SCENES
PERSONNEL

Key Crew

Writer, Director:  Curtis Taylor

Producers: Dave Wells, Eleanor Winkler

Director of Photography: Platon Theodoris

1st Assistant director: Dave Wells

Production Design: Poppy Van Oorde-Grainger

Editor:  Craig Anderson

Assistant Editor: Elias Nohra

Executive Producers: Shakthi Sivanathan, Naomi Bower,

Key Cast

Corey Flatt – Bobby Jay

May Brooks – Nana

Corbin Clause – Friend

Cast

Tamisha Clause – Mamu1, Shonelle Atkins – Mamu 2, Charlotte Frank – extra, Justina Charlie – extra, Beverly Rogers – extra, Godfrey Watson – extra, Curtis Taylor – extra, Poppy Van Oorde-Grainger – attendant at service station, Dave Wells – extra, Clive Samson – man at service station, Michelle Jackman – women at service station, Anita Ellis – Police officer 1, Aimee Kell – Police officer 2, Kylie Ainger – Police officer 3, Jenna Lewis – Police officer 4,

Secondary Crew

Casting – Hayley Atkins, Cassandra Nanudie, Translation – Hayley Atkins, Curtis Taylor, Art Department – Poppy van Oorde Grainger, Curtis Taylor, Corbin Clause, Tamisha Clause, Shonelle Atkins,Cassandra Nanudie, Corey Flatt, Cultural Approvals – Josh Booth, May Brooks, Sound – Owen Biljabu, Dave Wells, Cassandra Nanudie, Michelle Thomas, VFX – Craig FX

Supports

Special thanks to The Martu Community, Sharon Walsh, Craig FX, Sgt Sadler and the Newman Police Station, Nicki Everson, Newman Fuel Services, Martumili Artists Warren Ford, Fred Ryan, Wendy Charmichael, Jessica Anderson, Music – Fred Ryan, Eddie Blonde, Jonathan Tunkin

Funders

Australia Council for the Arts, BHP Billiton Iron Ore, The Shire of East Pilbara, Country Arts WA.

This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government.

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
Our office is located on Tharawal country. Our work takes us across Tharawal, Dharug and Eora lands. We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we work, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.