A Documentary Resource: DVD, CD & booklet for just $25

ReconciliACTION and Oliver Lawrance have recently completed a documentary film which forms part of a community resource about the Freedom Rides, racism and reconciliation in NSW.

The documentary features interviews from most of the towns visited in 2005, footage of community events, significant interviews with leading community figures discussing the original Freedom Ride and ‘vox pops’ taken with old and young on the streets of the towns visited.
The contents of the DVD resource ‘Freedom Rides - 40 years on’ are:

Disk 1 (DVD)
• Freedom Riders - 40 years on
(2010, 58 minute, Documentary film, Editors and Contributors: Oliver Lawrance, Miriana Marusic, Melissa Abraham, Poppy Stockell, Emma Torzillo, Samia Khutan, Bryan Rapsey, Nicolas McKenzie, Chris Hancock & all the Freedom Riders of 2005)
• Freedom Ride 2005 Short Film
(2008, 15 minute, Film suitable for high school students, Editors: Tom Tilley, Samia Khutan and Sean Robinson)
• Photo Slideshow
(2005, 5 minutes, Photo slide-show, Photos courtesy of Oliver Lawrance, Brian Rapsey, Andrew Tibbitts, Bronwyn Powell, Kirsten Cheatham, Ben McNiven, Melissa Abraham and Clare McLisky & all the Freedom Riders of 2005)

Disk 2 (CD)
• The Freedom Ride - 40 Years On
(2005, 49 minute, Radio documentary, Producer: Donna Morabito, Courtesy of Awaye and ABC Radio National)
Insert Booklet
• Information Booklet with additional information about the 1965 Freedom Ride and the 2005 Freedom Ride re-enactment

DVD: $25.00
plus $5 for postage and handling

What was the Freedom Ride 2005 project?

In 2005 a group of young people and members of the volunteer youth network ReconciliACTION hired a bus to re-trace the historic Australian Freedom Ride through regional NSW.

The 2005 Freedom Ride was initiated by students from the University of Sydney, volunteers and activists. Working with Local Reconciliation Groups, Aboriginal organisations, Councils and community groups, the 2005 Freedom Riders organised a series of community events and conducted interviews in the 13 towns visited by the original Australian Freedom Ride, to find out how people felt race relations had changed in the past 40 years.

Over 100 hours of footage was collected, capturing many compelling stories about the changes since the original Freedom Ride, and what divisions remain between black and white in many communities.

The 2005 Freedom Riders found many sources of inspiration from the Aboriginal community members and organisations who were working to support Aboriginal communities.

In many communities Indigenous and non-Indigenous people were actively working together to address issues of disadvantage and racism, including in towns were the original Freedom Riders had found strong divisions. In 2005 in Bowraville, for example, local Aboriginal kids learn their own language through the public school curriculum and the previously segregated picture theatre has been reopened as a reconciliation centre. In Moree the 2005 bus was received by the Local Council, a celebratory rally was held through town and the pool was open to the Freedom Riders and local children for free.

However, as also clearly evident from the interviews collected in 2005, racism continues to be an everyday part of the lives of Aboriginal people in regional NSW.

Common experiences reported included exclusion and differential treatment of Aboriginal people in shops and public places, lack of access to employment and housing, poor treatment by police and a resistance from the non-Aboriginal community in many areas to the true history of Australia.

The 2005 Freedom Ride was one of the largest community based reconciliation projects held since 2000. It received a high level of media attention, including state and national television media. Following the return of the Freedom Riders the Freedom Riders organised a number of meetings to report their findings including with the NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner.