Animated films bring Indigenous students’ experiences to life at ACMI

Animated films ‘Our Journey’ and ‘Planet MITS’ will be shown at the ACMI exhibition ‘A Land Far Away & Close to Home’
In summary
- Swinburne has teamed up with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School and Australian Chamber Orchestra to create stunning animations ‘A Land Far Away & Close to Home’
- It features the films 'Our Journey' and 'Planet MITS', which is showing at ACMI from 7–13 August 2021
- Swinburne’s project coordinator, community-based design researcher, digital media artist and educator, Dr Samantha Edwards-Vandenhoek, says the program is ‘deeply collaborative and moving’
Swinburne has teamed up with Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) to produce a series of Indigenous students’ stories for the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) next gen_now exhibit Running in August.
'A Land Far Away & Close to Home’ consists of two short films conceived, animated and narrated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from MITS. ‘Our Journey’ and ‘Planet MITS’ highlight the students’ experiences of living in Melbourne and the challenges of being away from their families, community and country.
Swinburne Centre for Transformative Media Technologies senior lecturer and researcher Dr Samantha Edwards-Vandenhoek is project coordinator of the MITS digital storytelling program, Marngo Designing Futures. She says it is a ‘wonderful, deeply collaborative and moving program to be a part of’.
The Moondani Toombadool Centre has provided funding to support Dr Edwards-Vandenhoek’s work

Students from the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School work with Swinburne, particularly Samantha Edwards-Vandenhoek, to create the films
Creating space for important stories
Dr Edwards-Vandenhoek approached MITS about opportunities to help students to develop creative skills and share their stories three years ago. Since then, the program has made the students feel like they have a voice with the help of the Australian Chamber Orchestra.
‘The transformative agency of place-based and culture centred storytelling gives voice to their experiences and it validates their lives, enabling themselves to see themselves on screen through the animated characters they’ve developed,’ says Dr Edwards-Vandenhoek.
The students, who are aged around 12, travel from all around Australia to participate in the year-long school boarding program at MITS. Many have never lived away from their homes or in a large city like Melbourne.
‘It can be a bit daunting to be away from their family, extended communities and culture, as well as adjusting to moving from their own country to living in a big city,’ Dr Edwards-Vandenhoek says.
After such a drastic change, the animation program facilitates a culturally safe co-creation space, which Dr Edwards-Vandenhoek says has ‘brought out a number of strengths in them that they didn’t know they had’.

The stop-motion animated films are created by the students and tell their stories in their native languages.
Animating reality
Teacher at MITS, Sarah George, was heavily involved in the creation of the films to be shown at ACMI. ‘The students bring great cultural and linguistical capital to the classroom,’ says Ms George.
‘Developing the narrative, story boards and props is a way of using their own culture and language to make sense of their new cultural experiences and language. Telling these stories teaches them teamwork, research, IT and language skills with content that is meaningful to them.’
Dr Edwards-Vandenhoek feels that including the films in the ACMI exhibition will only further students’ pride and confidence.
‘I hope that these films have afforded these students the opportunity to feel proud, strong and empowered, and that their stories mattered, they have agency, and are creative,’ she says.
‘A Land Far Away & Close to Home’ will be at ACMI from 7-13 August 2021. Entry is free and does not require a booking.
Following the latest advice from the Victorian Government, ACMI will be temporarily closed from Friday 6 August. Unfortunately, next gen_now is postponed.
Swinburne and ACMI look forward to rescheduling this event showcasing exciting digital experiences, films, games and art. Check the ACMI website for updates.
-
Media Enquiries
Related articles
-
- Technology
- Health
- Engineering
Vic set to boost medtech under program launched at Swinburne
The Hon Jaala Pulford, launched the Victorian Government’s new Health-led Manufacturing Innovation Program program at Swinburne’s Factory of the Future, part of the MedTechVic research hub.
Tuesday 14 June 2022 -
- University
Swinburne launches Australian-first reconciliation centre
The National Centre for Reconciliation Practice will lead national academic, industry and community understandings of reconciliation, and help drive systemic change.
Thursday 02 June 2022 -
- Social Affairs
- University
Swinburne congratulates new Minister for Education
Swinburne University of Technology welcomes the appointment of Jason Clare as Federal Minister for Education in the newly sworn-in Albanese Ministry.
Wednesday 01 June 2022 -
- University
Swinburne climbs 25 places to Top 300 globally
Swinburne University of Technology has climbed 25 places to number 296 in the QS University World Rankings 2023, claiming a coveted Top 300 spot and a place in the Top 1% of universities worldwide.
Thursday 09 June 2022 -
- Technology
- Health
New AI platform for people with genetic disorders
An AI-powered, virtual platform called GENIE will help improve care for patients living with genetic disorders.
Wednesday 22 June 2022