Full dome film puts West Australian science, innovation and Indigenous culture on screens around the world.
Animation of the Emu in the Sky by Margaret Whitehurst. Credit: Prospero Productions.
As Star Dreaming premiered at CinefestOZ in Bunbury, Yamaji Art Centre manager Roni Kerley wasn’t just watching the film.
Kerley had her eyes on the Indigenous artists from her centre whose work featured in the production.
“They were so proud, and quite emotional as well,” she says.
“To be able to see the end result of walking on the same track, saying the same lines, over and over.
“And to actually go… ‘that’s my artwork’.”
Star Dreaming is set deep in the Australian outback.
It follows two children as they explore the mysteries of the Universe through one of the world’s largest astronomy projects—the Square Kilometre Array.
The film also sees the children learn about the world’s oldest living culture from the Wajarri Yamaji people, the Traditional Owners of land north-east of Geraldton.
Star Dreaming was filmed with a 360-degree camera, and is designed to be shown inside a dome, like a planetarium.
The film uses animation to bring paintings from the Yamaji Art Centre to life on the dome, with permission from the artists.
Prospero Productions managing director Julia Redwood, who produced Star Dreaming, says the team had wanted to produce a film about the Universe.
But it was ICRAR astrophysicist Professor Steven Tingay who linked the astronomy with an Indigenous understanding of the night sky.
“It formed really out of a conversation with Steven,” Redwood says. “It was combining art and science, which I hadn’t seen before in a dome film.
“It also excited me that I was able to bring to life this wonderful story of the connection between the Yamaji people and scientists.”
Redwood says the ambitious project took a long time to make—particularly with Covid-19 stalling production.
But the end result is a film about collaboration and people coming together.
“It’s just been a magical journey,” Redwood says.
“I’m very proud of it and very proud of the work that everyone’s done on it. It was a labour of love.”
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- Max Winton, Charmaine Green, Margaret Whitehurst and Lucia Richardson on location. Credit: Prospero Productions.
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- Behind the Scenes at the Square Kilometre Array. Credit: Prospero Productions.
The film was directed by Ngarluma man Perun Bonser, whose family are the Traditional Owners of land near Roebourne and Karratha.
Max Winton, Prof. Steven Tingay and Lucia Richardson in Geraldton. Credit: Prospero Productions.
Professor Tingay, who features in the production, says filming was interesting and demanding.
He says Bonser, Redwood, and the rest of the cast and crew had their work cut out for them.
But Professor Tingay says, for him, the film captures intertwined cultural and scientific perspectives that are common to all peoples.
“As a scientist, I’ve learned so much from being with the artists and sharing our stories together,” he says.
“I have a much richer perspective on the Universe and Indigenous culture, well beyond the night sky, as a result of our time together.”
Since the premiere at CinefestOZ, Star Dreaming has featured at dome festivals around the world, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe.
“It also excited me that I was able to bring to life this wonderful story of the connection between the Yamaji people and scientists.”
Julia Redwood, Prospero Productions
The film has also won multiple international awards.
But for Kerley, the most important screening was at the Shore Leave Festival in Geraldton.
“We made sure that all the elders and cultural leaders in the community were given the opportunity to see it as well,” she says.
“They just really loved it.”
Kerley says she felt honoured to participate in the production.
“It’s something that we would never have thought would have happened in a million years—to be given such a forum to share our knowledge, share our history, share our connection to the sky,” she says.
“I’m just so happy that this culture was heard and celebrated, and continues to be globally.”
Awards for Star Dreaming
- Dome Under Festival 2021
Winner Best Astronomy Education - Dome Fest West 2022
Winner Best Educational Film - Jena FullDome Festival 2022
Winner Best Science & Education film
Official selections and nominations
- CinefestOZ 2021
- Minsk International Fulldome Festival 2021
- FullDome UK 2022
- IMERSA Montreal 2022
- Best of Earth 2023
With thanks to our partners
Header image: The Emu in the Sky by Margaret Whitehurst. Credit: Margaret Whitehurst.