Hiroe, the Monk and Me

Amid rising anti-migrant sentiment in Australia and globally, ongoing wars, and increasing cultural and religious polarisation, there is an urgent need for stories that celebrate migrant experiences and foster empathy and resilience through shared humanity. The film illuminates creative and spiritual wisdom that transcends cultural, religious, and generational boundaries, inviting peace within individuals and communities. It also addresses the persistent lack of representation of women in the arts and on screen, particularly older women. Its protagonist is a Japanese-Australian woman in her nineties—an age group rarely centred in film. This commitment to representation extends to the filmmaker herself. At a time when younger creatives face precarity and elders confront grief, illness, and displacement, Hiroe’s ability to transform loss into beauty and ageing into renewal offers strong contemporary relevance, leaving audiences inspired by shared wisdom, belonging, and hope.

Hiroe, the Monk & Me is a documentary that humanises migration by centring the lived experience of Hiroe Swen, a 92-year-old Japanese-Australian ceramic artist. Through intimate, emotionally resonant storytelling, the film reveals Hiroe’s extraordinary life and her largely unknown contribution to Australian ceramics. The project advances cultural equity by amplifying the voice of an older woman artist underrepresented in the arts and on screen, aligning with the Know My Name campaign. This commitment extends behind the camera through a woman director whose visual sensibility is shaped by Kyoto aesthetics and Japanese philosophy, alongside a connection to Country in Australia.

At the intersection of art and spirituality, the film invites reflection on belonging, impermanence, and shared humanity. Through Hiroe’s transformation of loss into beauty and renewal, audiences are inspired to reimagine ageing, creativity, and the possibility of peace within ourselves and with each other.

Through screenings, facilitated discussions, and partnerships with cultural, community, and arts organisations, we hope the film will spark dialogue, foster intergenerational understanding, and inspire audiences to reimagine ageing, creativity, and belonging as sources of strength and renewal.

The Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre has expressed interest in incorporating the completed documentary into its Cultural Centre, alongside works by Hiroe and her late husband, Cornel, which Hiroe has generously donated to the collection. With more than 42,000 visitors annually — including school groups and international visitors — this partnership would create significant opportunities for educational engagement and cross-cultural dialogue with students, as well as national and global audiences.

I have deep, long-standing, and trusted relationships with the core community at the heart of this film. I have known Hiroe for over 32 years; our bond is akin to mother and daughter, built on care and trust, giving me full access to her life. Her niece Shinko fully supports the project. I have also maintained a 24-year relationship with the monk at Daitoku-ji Obaiin temple in Kyoto, providing rare access built on trust and support. With roots in Kyoto, I am welcomed into spaces and conversations that are not easily accessible to outsiders. Over three years of developing this film, I have built strong ties with Hiroe’s friends and former students in Australia, placing me in a unique position to tell this story ethically, sensitively, and from within the community.

The film’s calls to action are practical and relational rather than prescriptive. Audiences are invited to reconsider how they value ageing, migration, and creativity across a lifetime, and to engage in intergenerational dialogue by listening to elders’ lived experiences. In school and university settings, the film encourages students to explore Japanese aesthetics, philosophy, and cultural perspectives beyond their own, and to reflect on creativity as a lifelong practice. In galleries and museums, it prompts curators and arts professionals to create space for older women artists and artists of non-English speaking backgrounds through programming and discussion. Screenings in aged-care and community centres are designed to foster connection, reflection, and belonging, translating the film’s themes into everyday acts of empathy, cultural respect, and shared humanity.