Melbourne Documentary Film Festival - One Heart - One Spirit
Join Native American elder, Kenneth Little Hawk, in Australia and discover the oldest surviving culture in the world. Can indigenous and non-indigenous people come together as one human family to create a kinder world?
Interview with Writer/Director John Pritchard
Congratulations! Why are you making your film?
To inspire us all to be more humane and take better care of each other and take better care of the Earth. This is the essence of indigenous wisdom around the world. We are all connected. We are all related. We are one human family. Always try to be kind! Every act of kindness counts, no matter how great or small! With a positive change in heart, we can all come together, as one human family, and help create a kinder world!
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You should watch our film because you will learn about the 40,000 year old Aboriginal culture of the Yolngu people and embrace their wisdom. You will also meet Native American storyteller, Kenneth Little Hawk, who begins the film by saying, "Many of us have forgotten about being humane, and that's what ONE HEART - ONE SPIRIT is working at to bring the humanity back to each and every one of our behaviors, here and all around the world."
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
In One Heart - One Spirit, the very personal themes of authenticity, family and tribe combine quite naturally with the universal theme of respecting all people and the Earth. It’s all about coming together in harmony. This is the very definition of the word “Garma” which is the name of the most significant indigenous event in Australia: The 3-day Garma Festival which is where the One Heart - One Spirit movie takes place. The goal of the Garma Festival is to bring non-indigenous and indigenous people together to create positive change through raising cultural awareness via educational forums, dance, music, art, film and song.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It took many months to review the 35 hours of raw footage and develop the script that slowly evolved into the final 60 minute film. Instead of merely telling the story of a Native American elder meeting fellow indigenous people on the other side of the world, the goal of the script became to celebrate the harmony of non-indigenous and indigenous perspectives... the essence of the Garma Festival itself. Jack Thompson, representing the enlightened, non-indigenous perspective, literally becomes friends, through the course of the movie, with Little Hawk who represents the indigenous perspective. The Yolngu culture provides the unifying message of the film by showing authentic human engagement and collaboration via dance, music and art.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We have received phenomenal feedback in both public and educational screenings:
"The One Heart movie provides historical insight into one of the world’s oldest surviving cultures in northern Australia while simultaneously speaking to the very important issue of human diversity and caring for the environment. It’s great to hear this movie will be reaching college students all over the world.”- Magnus Bernhardsson, Williams College Professor of History and Global Studies
"There is a shift taking place on planet earth. Whether it is business, academia or government, the next generation wants something new....something human. They can feel it deep within. One Heart - One Spirit shares this awakening by going back to the oldest living indigenous people on the planet; the Aboriginal people of the Yolngu Nation. Be prepared for the beauty and majesty of this documentary as it awakens your heart... as it did mine." Brad Szollose, Global Business Adviser and Best-Selling Author of Liquid Leadership
“A tour de force! Positive and life-changing, this educational film shows how the ancient wisdom of connectivity to all life on earth can inspire humanity to make more humane choices toward our planet and one another.”- Anne Tantalo, Author/Coach, BrainPower Coaching
“One Heart, One Spirit is an awesome film, exploring the spirit of some awe-inspiring people! Their ancient message of unity and compassion is one whose time has truly come! The film makers and Kenneth Little Hawk do an excellent job of creating a truly global story with truly world-wide implications. Little Hawk, the renowned Native American story-teller is the ever present glue to the film. He is the "cultural ambassador", whose genuine and warm spirit, effortlessly demonstrates how much more similar we all are than different, regardless of where on the globe we happen to be from. He is the welcoming, good-hearted, bridge between worlds that makes you want to believe that we are all truly, one. Watch this film, if you dare to walk away feeling less cynical and more connected.”- Perry Vayo, Academy Award winning screenwriter, Media Producer
"ONE HEART-ONE SPIRIT shows us the need to discover the threads and emotions that bind different cultures together, the harmony we need to ward off an apocalyptic future. Underneath the unnatural boundaries societies have created to mark their ways, their means, their lands, lies nations peopled by individuals who should seek the togetherness understood by the first nations. One Heart explores these themes by documenting the journey of Little Hawk, a Native North American, to the renowned Garma festival, Australia’s most significant Indigenous event, and a model for self-determination, reconciliation, Indigenous knowledge sharing, transfer and exchange."- David Greenberg, Director of Marketing, Music Works International
"The film was an outstanding introduction to the Yolngu people in a careful, thoughtful and respectful way. My students were riveted to the film and really excited to discuss it afterwards. The interweaving of the two cultures worked magically together to bring out the commonalities they and we all share, and to explain so well the many important messages of the film.”- Jess Le Vine, Brookdale College Professor of History
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I am happily surprised that most people, of all ages, get the central message of the film: We are one human family.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We are looking for as much exposure as possible with people who care about humanity and the Earth. Your website celebrates documentary film and is an amazing resource for people to learn about new movies like One Heart - One Spirit.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We are looking for anyone and everyone who believes, as we do, that Indigenous people have practical answers for healing the modern world.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope our film will be a transforming experience as the audience learns about the 40,000 year old Aboriginal culture of the Yolngu people and embraces their wisdom:
Respect All People & the Earth, Become Less Materialistic, Think Seven Generations Ahead, Be More Compassionate, Be Humble and Do Not Humiliate, Give Love and Practice Forgiveness, Be Patient, Meditate and Connect with Nature, Be Kind and Do No Evil.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Are we all truly connected as one human family?
Would you like to add anything else?
We hope One Heart - One Spirit will encourage non-indigenous people to curb their egos and follow the wisdom of indigenous people. With the indigenous principles of humility, patience, love and kindness, humanity will prevail.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We founded the One Heart-One Spirit Project to expand on the humane message of the One Heart-One Spirit movie with supplemental educational material. “HELP CREATE A KINDER WORLD - Your Guide to Indigenous Wisdom” is our first instructional GuideBook, website and free iBook/PDF download written by John Pritchard and Anne Tantalo in collaboration with Beverly and Kenneth Little Hawk. Free PDF download at http://createkinderworld.org It will be distributed as part of the 2017-18 One Heart Movie-College/University Tour (schedule coming soon).
Interview: July 2017
_________________________________________________________________________________
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series and music video. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
_________________________________________________________________________________
One Heart - One Spirit
Join Native American elder, Kenneth Little Hawk, in Australia and discover the oldest surviving culture in the world. Can indigenous and non-indigenous people come together as one human family to create a kinder world?
Length: 60 min.
Director: John Pritchard
Producer: Kenneth Little Hawk, Greg Reeves
Writer: John Pritchard
About the writer, director and producer:
John Pritchard is an award-winning multimedia producer and educational filmmaker. ONE HEART-ONE SPIRIT is his fifth time writing and directing an educational film and his third movie featuring his close friend Kenneth Little Hawk.
Kenneth Little Hawk is a Native American storyteller, keynote speaker, recording artist and actor, descending from the Mi'kmaq and Mohawk tribes. His “Little Hawk Show” has been touring throughout the world over the past 30 years.
Greg Reeves is an innovative producer who worked with Jack Thompson on a series of concerts inside the Abercrombie Caves in Australia, in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It was Greg’s ingenious vision to connect Jack with Little Hawk at the Garma Festival and hire Paul Tait and Melanie Hogan to film over 35 hours of raw footage.
Key cast: Jack Thompson (also narrator), Kenneth Little Hawk (also narrator), and the Yolngu people from North East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Looking for distributors, buyers, sales agents and educational philanthropists.
Social media handles:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/onehearttribe
Twitter: https://twitter.com/eternalways
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onehearttribe/
Other: http://onehearttribe.com
Where can I see it in the next month? Saturday July 15 at 9pm at the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival