Five Year Grandma

80% of high school students of migrant background indicated they have experienced racism in school, with the majority of them taking no action to report it. These attitudes and behaviours which young children learn at school carry over into their adulthood. A separate Scanlon Foundation report on Social Cohesion said 99% of young adults with university education agreed that accepting immigrants from many other countries makes Australia stronger.

“Five Year Grandma” is a deep look into the impact of one-sided assimilation and uncovers incredible Australian history not taught in schools or even known by the general population . It brings to light history of Indians during “Australian discovery” times and even well before that.

It also sheds light on brutal "Girmit" history.

When slavery was abolished the British used loopholes to bring indentured Indian labours that faced a horrific famine, to work on European settler sugar plantations around the world in slavery conditions.

“Five Year Grandma” will shed light on the damaging effects of assimilation. Immigrants pushed into an “all or nothing” approach to Australian culture, resulting in children ostracising themselves from their culture and self, to great detriment.

It aims to give Australian’s, particularly youth, the knowledge that they don’t need to give up their culture in order to be Australian.

Five Year Grandma is now being developed into a feature documentary.

It aims to be selected for A-List festivals around the world, broadcast nationally in Australia (including cinema release) and international broadcast.

Five Year Grandma aims to harnesses the strength of local, state and federal youth, education and cultural organisations to develop cultural awareness and anti-racism amongst school children around Australia as part of their curriculum. It will be the vehicle to construct a national curriculum that fits within the education sector.

Using existing research, Five Year Grandma will aim to significantly decrease instances of racist behaviour and attacks in high schools around Australia.

Five Year Grandma will work with:

Secondary schools, state and federal education departments to work with current structures and policies to construct a national curriculum that fits within the education sector.

State and federal cultural organisations to develop standards, policies and reporting for the national curriculum and expertise regarding cultural sensitivities as part of the curriculum.

Australian universities, particularly those with Education courses (under and postgraduate) particularly for tertiary students to navigate racism and multiculturalism as a teacher, as well as developing cultural intelligence.

Producer / writer / director Ravi Chand has met and consulted with several Federal and State politicians, numerous cultural organisations and national South Asian media.

Five Year Grandma also has the support of the Australian Indian Historical Society and the Indian Diaspora community.

The Australian Historical Society is a team of incredible historians that will help uncover Australian Indian History not known by the general Australian public.

Ravi Chand and Producer Diana Fisk are also working with Film Victoria and Screen Australia as they prepare their applications for development funding.

All of the above relationships inform story development, content and strategies for the social impact campaign and support from a number of large audiences for the documentary.

1. Viewers to ensure their local school is implementing the Five Year Grandma curriculum to tackle racism in high schools around the country.

2. Contact their local member to ensure their local school is implementing the Five Year Grandma curriculum to tackle racism in high schools around the country.

3. Advocate on social media for their networks to watch the documentary.

Short term (web series) - total video views of 20K+
NB. The Facebook video pitch of Five Year Grandma exceeded 700 shares, 330,000 views and 1600 likes / reactions in just a few months. As such it is now being developed into a feature documentary.

Success for the feature documentary now includes:
- Research / evidence of significantly decreased instances of racist behaviour and attacks in high schools around Australia.
- Further funding from State and Federal government to ensure the Five Year Grandma curriculum continues to grow and evolve.
- Selection into A-List international festivals.
- National and international broadcast and cinema release.