Running on Empty

Many Aboriginal people in outback towns are not thriving, they are just surviving. Underlying the substance abuse, neglect of children, crime, family violence and youth suicide are layers of trauma that has never been dealt
with. This documentary peals back the layers of trauma through the eyes of inspirational Aboriginal people who are working in the area of community services or who are just dealing with their own issues.
This doco is about helping improve better mental and physical health in Aboriginal communities around Australia.

There has to be a holistic approach to treating Aboriginal people suffering
trauma, the whole family needs to be treated not just the individual. There also
has to be better services for men’s health and better support for them to deal
with their anger/depression and sorrow.

The documentary will show what intergenerational trauma actually is and how
it is passed through the generations leading to young Aboriginal people
suffering with mental health issues, alcohol and drug abuse, imprisonment
and increased suicides.
The organisations and individuals I have spoken to feel this is an important
documentary because it will help them in the work they do in the Aboriginal
community in many ways:
Application form as at 22MAR2023
1 Screening it to their clients – Aboriginal people they are trying to help change
negative behaviours and improve their lives.
2. Screening it to Government agencies to improve funding distribution and
reduce funding competition between Aboriginal organisations.
3. Improve the strategies mental health organisations, hospitals and
government agencies have in place for supporting Aboriginal health, wellbeing
and employment.

During the 35 years that I’ve lived in Kununurra I’ve built many relationships
with Aboriginal people. Through my filmmaking work in the Aboriginal
community I have gained the trust of many people, in turn they are offering to
support this doco, volunteering their organisations and staff members to be in
it. They believe the stories that will be shared in this documentary will help
others deal with trauma and help change negative behaviours. I’m working
closely with an Aboriginal mother/community worker in developing this
documentary – it was her idea to make it. She sourced $12,000 development
funding from the Suicide Prevention area of the Ord Valley Aboriginal Health
Service and approached me to make the doco. Together we are making a
15min version for this health service. Aspects of this video can be a trailer for
the fundraising campaign. The below Aboriginal organisations will help
distribute and support the impact campaign.

1. Organisations that work in the areas of health – hospitals, mental health
facilities will use this documentary as a resource and screen it to their patients
to help them change their lives in a positive way.
2. Non Indigenous Individuals, government agencies and corporations who
work in the area of Aboriginal social issues will create better ways of working
in this area to create better outcomes for Aboriginal people.
3. Aboriginal audiences will be able to implement positive change in their lives
when they watch this documentary by seeing how those in the doco did it.
4. Mental Health organisations and gov agencies funding mental health
projects will implement strategies to have a more holistic family approach to
supporting Aboriginal people with mental health issues.
5. Creating action in the area of men’s mental health – develop in the
Kimberley a variety of men’s health centres