The Gold Coast Film Festival opens today and with it comes an exciting array of creative projects that will make us laugh, question everything and become acquainted with a flock of up and coming filmmakers.
One such filmmaker is Gold Coast local Jude Kalman whose powerful documentary premiers on Thursday April 20 at Event Cinemas Robina.
We spoke to Jude about Uncontained Love: Love > Fear and how she hopes to stimulate some much-needed conversations.
Your film Uncontained Love: Love > Fear is premiering at the Gold Coast Film Festival, why did you decide to show it here first?
I am a proud Gold Coaster and to share this story smack bang in the middle of the GC is a dream! My goal as a story teller is to take people somewhere… so if I can take Gold Coasters to Africa I am a happy camper because most of the people I know and love (live on the GC) and have never been!
What’s the story about?
Uncontained Love is a three part doco series that follows an organisation delivering shipping containers filled with educational supplies, medical equipment and all things in between to communities throughout Africa.
It tells stories of the transformation that occurs in these African communities when the containers are delivered, and the work of partnering organisations who, in the face of great need, respond in love.
Uncontained Love: Love > Fear seeks to stimulate conversation about refugees and how we might respond to the needs of those most profoundly impacted by crisis in Africa.
How did the film come to be?
I have worked in the corporate sector for the past decade, my experience has taken me throughout the world shooting commercials, corporates, film clips and educational DVDs. One day the penny dropped! I always wanted to use my skill set to help NGO’s, the small ones doing big things.
I have known Chris Shadbolt (one of the main characters in the doco) for a long time and thought this guy does amazing work and not many people know about it, so why not do it! I love travel and I love a good story and boy were there some stories! As I travelled with Chris the stories just kept on coming. They were uncontained!
Your documentary is self-funded, what does it take to put something like this together?
A LOT! Four things come to mind:
Willingness: I knew it would cost me, that it would take some sacrifice. Good bye sleeping and weekends… but it was worth it!
Determination: I have had so much support from my family and friends but it was always still up to me to bring it home. It was loads of hard work which I could critique but then I think, I did this pretty much on my own. On the last trip Carrie-Anne Greenbank helped interview the people (which was AWESOME!) but every shot you see, no matter how good or bad, I am standing, sitting or crouching behind the camera.
Contacts: I connected with people I knew to start me on this story telling journey. Not just the people I travelled with in Africa but also through my work. I also borrowed gear, which added to the challenge of making something out of what I had in my hand (A CANON 5D Mark III).
Humility: I needed to remind myself why I did it. Again coming from the corporate sector you become quite a harsh critic of your work. But I made this doco because I wanted to tell a story as I found it. In the moments I cringe at a shot or an edit point I don’t like… I have to get over myself and say ‘wow I did what I did with what I had in my hand’.
What do you hope people take from seeing Uncontained Love: Love > Fear?
This doco is dedicated to the 40+ million refugees in the world and those who have not forgotten them. I hope it honors them and I hope it introduces people to other people.
I hope it stimulates thought and conversation about the universal laws of love and fear, which I believe we all face.
As a Gold Coast local, how have you seen the art and culture scene grow over the years?
I have seen a massive growth and I love it. There is so much happening on the GC. I think some people underestimate the talent on the Gold Coast but that hasn’t stopped any one of us pursuing its growth.
Are you working on anything else at the moment?
Before our week in Nigeria Carrie-Anne Greenbank and I took four days out to shoot the doco that aired on Channel 9 on Easter weekend – Aussie Mum African Heart. It was a bit of hit on the weekend!
You might have also seen the latest Amy Shark film clip for her single Weekends, pretty chuffed to say I directed that!
And with all of that underway travelling and shooting for Fotomedia, next trip is classified… but it’s cool!
Your favourite piece of life advice?
Be gentle as a dove and cunning as a serpent.
You’re not a Gold Coast local if you haven’t…
Chilled on Burleigh headland.
Being a Gold Coast local we have to ask for your favourites…
Beach: Currumbin
Restaurant: Commune – it’s not a restaurant but my fave go out meal is brekky.
Bar: Wherever live music is playing
Coffee Shop: Blackboard
