Without a doubt one of the most important films of our time, ‘Her Sound, Her Story’ features an abundance of converging truths that speak volumes about the impact cultural thought and consensus can have on identity, and how coming together over a shared understanding is in fact the essence of change.
The film not only explores the behind the scene truths and experiences of many successful artists: Kate Ceberano, Julia Stone, Mama Kin, Nattali Rize, Tina Arena, Missy Higgins, Mojo Juju, Okenyo, Stella Donnelly, Renee Geyer, Anna Laverty, Eleanor Dixon, Simona Castricum, Jen Cloher, Okenyo and so many more, but it tells of how they are creating change and have been doing so for decades, by standing for what they believe in: Through their art. Through their work processes. Through their stance.
Stella Donnelly explains that as a white woman, she feels a responsibility to include artists with diverse backgrounds in her line-ups so that, what she referred to as her “training-wheels” can cause change to happen more broadly across the industry.
Created entirely by women, about women, from intimate interviews to reverse role-plays (such as the scene in an instrument shop that prompted thoughts of how women are spoken to, which had the audience in fits of giggles), the film is cleverly crafted and brimming with abundant creativity – both behind and in front of the camera.
“We were working on the project for about four years, but it took two years for me to understand the project myself, there was so much content and it was a matter of putting it together,” director, producer and editor, Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore explains.
Together with co-producer Michelle Grace Hunder, the pair began the project while working with various artists across Australia and saw the stark contrasts across the industry, long before the #MeToo movement heightened during 2017.
“We were supposed to release it at the end of 2016, but I didn’t feel things were ready. Then #MeToo happened and we released it, and people were asking ‘did you know?’ No, we didn’t know, and then people were saying ‘wow isn’t it timely?’” Claudia says.
As a woman watching this film, I couldn’t help but identify with the things being said as being universal truths of our time. One thing that was obvious watching, the film was directed at humanity and to all who pigeonhole women. To all who ask women about their family life.
Both Tina Arena and Mama Kin explained that women are always asked questions about how they’re managing their careers and being mothers. Mama Kin also added that as a result, her partner John Butler misses out on answering questions about his children, when he would love the opportunity to talk about them.
“We’re not exclusive and have made this film for all women in the industry. We hope that people have felt that way when watching it. Michelle did 80 portraits and I did 55 interviews, but things have definitely expanded since then,” Claudia says.
“It’s been a big couple of years for us, so it’s rest time. But we continue to nurture the community of women. It was beautiful when we brought them together for a concert, and we want to keep bringing them together and just keep doing that for now. I think it’s important to keep that going, it’s what we need.
“We’re planning on putting the film online next year, and we’d like to work with schools to create a syllabus around identity, gender and culture, together with women’s rights.”
