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Two locals who have followed their dreams and passions and made good, Mr Jake Speer, Kensington House Entertainment, assisted by Elijah Ingram, Miil Miil Productions, shared with us some information regarding Jake’s latest short film production, Lords Of the Soil, as potential sponsors and financial backers. Lords Of The Soil is scheduled to film in the Riverina in August this year. It is s a moving historical drama set during the Autumn of 1866 on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. It is a painful story but also one that focuses on kindness and compassion. It will bring together the very best the Riverina has to offer; its history, landscape and people, to share a story with audiences around the world that both captivates and informs in an emotionally moving and visually satisfying way. Lords Of The Soil is a piece of fiction inspired by the true history of the Riverina. It is a film that showcases a lost way of life and explores the complex relationship between the indigenous and non- indigenous people of the region. Lords Of The Soil shoot dates will be late August/ early September 2023 with proposed locations of Leeton, Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Narrandera and Darlington Point. Leeton has been selected as the production base and Sydney for post-production, with a total production estimate of $60,000. It is in the Autumn of 1866, a young settler develops a kinship with the Indigenous family who reside on his newly purchased land. Basil Bennett a city doctor, arrives in the thriving settlement of Wagga Wagga in search of a new life on the frontier lands of the New South Wales river plains. After meeting with wealthy pastoralist, John, and learning of the customs of the area - the issuing of woolen blankets to the native population at the onset of winter - Basil ventures out of town complete with a collection of fresh wool blankets. Once present on his new parcel of land, on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, Basil is met by a young indigenous family – lead by Maliyan, a powerful Wiradjuri man. (Maliyan is the Wiradjuri means wedge-tailed eagle.) Basil’s introduction to the family is fraught with tension but it is the blankets that Basil leaves as a gift that may properly articulate his intentions towards these people. Despite a rising negative narrative in town regarding the local native population, Basil and Maliyan develop a mutual affinity as they build their lives simultaneously amongst the tranquil landscape that surrounds them. The sharing of food, knowledge and labour become the bedrock of this unconventional friendship. Death soon comes to this modest neighbourhood as Maliyan succumbs to a fever, leaving his wife and child to abandon their home on the river. Tormented by the loss of Maliyan, Basil removes all that remains of the family he shared a home with. A memory too painful to bear. The film will bring together a team of professionals and amateurs alike, from metropolitan and regional talent, to deliver a piece of cinema that will captivate audiences through stunning photography, detailed and authentic designs and intimate and grounded performances. Much care and attention will be given to creating meaningful relationships with the indigenous community of the area to ensure this story is told with respect and integrity. It will be a unique opportunity to share and preserve the local language and knowledge of the Wiradjuri people. In 2017 Jake created Kensington House Entertainment, a boutique production company dedicated to developing and producing high quality entertainment for stage and screen. This includes the award winning short film “Inside Water” and the regional stage production of William Shakespeare’s “HENRY V”. In 2018 Kensington House Entertainment produced ‘Inside Water’ in partnership with Leeton Shire Council, and with the support of a number of regionally based individuals and businesses, and with a total budget of $50,000. Jake Speer is a Producer, Director and Actor. For the past decade, as an actor, Jake has worked extensively across theatre, film and television at the highest level, working with leading companies in the entertainment. Associate Producers, Miil Miil Productions began through grant support from the Aboriginal Languages Trust and created a series of short films on Wiradjuri Language and Culture in the Riverina region of NSW. Miil Miil then went on to work in building their capacity to deliver film and photography services to the broader community. Since their inception, they have built on capabilities to provide everything from pre-production, through to shooting and post-production. To date, Miil Miil has continued to make Aboriginal Language films with the Aboriginal Languages Trust, as well as working with the broader arts community to deliver a professional standard of film and photography. Miil Miil Productions consists of Bernard Higgins and Elijah Ingram, two young Wiradjuri men working on their home country. Bernard is from Wagga Wagga who has done incredible work in animation and is also an accomplished Animator and Videographer. He hopes to create resources that help others to learn his traditional language and culture. Elijah is a young Wiradjuri man from Leeton who works across several fields in the Arts. A Filmmaker, Photographer, Artist and Poet, Elijah wants to do all he can to help preserve and grow his traditional language and culture. Should you be interested in hearing more about this film production and its wider impact for the community of Leeton, please contact Jake Speer. |
