Director: Chrissy Liu
UK/Australia, 2020
23′
The Darling river, or “Barka” as it is known to the Barkindji people, is part of the longest river system in Australia. It is also historically a significant cultural resource for the indigenous people who have lived by its shores for millenia as well as a more recent source of significant amounts of water for Australian agriculture. This film explores how the landscape in Wilcannia, once a major inland port along the Darling in remote NSW, is changing for both people and nature as the river’s future becomes uncertain due to climate change, mismanagement and drought. The scenes ebb and flow together in open-ended inquiry into the experience of indigenous and non-indigenous humans, animals and the river, in order to challenge audiences to achieve a more nuanced understanding of this phenomenon.
Chrissy Liu has a BA in anthropology from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and an MA in visual anthropology from the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology at the University of Manchester. She has previously worked at ÉCU (the European Independent Film Festival) and in the native title sector in Australia. Interests include the intersection of environmental and human experience as well as how art and anthropology can be in creative and productive dialogue. Chrissy has developed three short films in the duration of her masters, including “Darling”.
Camera: Chrissy Liu
Editing: Chrissy Liu
Sound: Chrissy Liu
Producer: Chrissy Liu