Dieseln'Dub - A Music Documentary
Aussie musicians Declan Kelly, Emma Donovan, Radical Son, Pat Powell and others reflect on the legacy of Midnight Oil’s protest hits and what it means to sing those words decades later, under the weight of Black and Indigenous experience, asking what has changed and what has remained the same?
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Cristina Dio
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
When musician Declan Kelly told me he was creating a new album of Midnight Oil songs in dub-reggae style I was immediately intrigued. Being an Oils fan from back in the day I understood the power of those songs and to then consider them again, reinvented in the reggae sound, I thought was irreverent but, in a way, also visionary. I knew the songs had a longevity long beyond their hit cycle decades ago and knowing of Declan and his band as artists, I knew the respect was there. With their permission I started documenting – recording sessions, meetings and conversations, the odd radio interview and then the album tour.
Meeting the artists and hearing their perspectives on the songs was really enlightening. For most of them, these songs were popular when they were kids, but they understood the messages in the lyrics and found them as relevant in the present as in the day they were written. They brought their own weight of experience to the songs, their own point of view. Emma Donovan brought her traditional language of Gumbaynggirr to lyrics of The Dead Heart, for example. As the project grew, I could see how this amazing group of artists were in a way shining a new light on these hits. It was almost as if they had written the songs themselves in the present day, there was so much insight and so much heart in their renditions, bringing out the enduring relevance of those songs. I felt that this project would speak to people, about so many issues that we don’t necessarily openly discuss as a society. I felt that an audience could learn so much from the gems of wisdom that these artists shared between themselves, as members of a complex and complicated multicultural existence. And the live performances were so powerful that they deserved to be documented and shared with a bigger audience beyond the live festival stages.
Yes, the project is about Midnight Oil songs and we’ll hear them and see them performed but it is about so much more, and this film looks at those in-between spaces that occupy the bigger story. It’s about the people who came together to create this and their stories. After a while documenting I knew I had something special to share. I asked for sit-down interviews with as many participating artists as were available, and I was fairly blown away by what they were willing to share and discuss. Talking to them was often a revelation of sorts. I learned so much about music, songwriting, language and living life in-between different cultures, that I was super excited about sharing with an audience. The whole experience of making this film was very uplifting for me. That’s why I made the film, because I wanted to share that experience through the songs, the images, the sounds and the stories, so that other people could also have the opportunity to watch and learn and feel uplifted by the experience.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
You will be entertained. You will learn something. You will feel like you are on tour with the band. You will feel your mind and your heart open up a little and feel really good from the experience.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
On a personal level, at the heart of this film there is the story of knowing oneself and one’s story. It is about identity and of identifying with a culture through language and more specifically through songs and storytelling. While we break down the legacy hits of Midnight Oil, some of which are burned in our collective consciousness - Beds are Burning, The Dead Heart, Power and the Passion among others – the artists discuss what the songs meant to them when they first heard them and what they mean now, decades later, asking what has changed and what has remained the same, since the songs were first written? We have all individually changed and evolved, but has the society? Has the collective? We realise we are still dealing with much of the same stuff they were singing about back then.
Personal reflections take us into so many interesting and profound directions. When Declan and the band meet Indigenous elder Rosemary Plummer, they realise what a crucial role song, language and storytelling play in keeping their community alive and together in connection with country. Guest singer Gambirra Illume further elaborates on the power her traditional languages and stories from Yolngu Country have on protecting ancestral boundaries; while keys player Rob Woolf reflects on the necessity of language to form identity with culture from the perspective of his Jewish background and the resurgence of Modern Hebrew. Radical Son talks about his developing pattern of speech as a young man to becoming a community role model.
Matt Keegan, Tony Hughes and Ross Fotheringham bring the perspective of Midnight Oil’s key audience back in the day and how they connected with the identity of the band, in a sublime way understanding the power of the music. Declan Kelly shares his tribal ancestry and how it has shaped his musician’s sensibilities. Pat Powell, Winston Stephenson and Mad Professor share insights into identity and connection through Black music and it’s evolution as a uniting force from slavery to modern reggae. Truly the themes touched on are fascinating, far reaching and go deep.
Connecting with culture, family and community through language is not only a personal theme that runs through the film, but it’s also one of the most fundamental universal themes that we all share. If we radiate outwards from that, we touch on universal themes of belonging and loss; of sacrifice and survival; of music and storytelling; and in a sense there is also a coming of age, as the artists look back on their introduction to music and these songs and their present day take on them, looking back with the wisdom of an adult. The songs have come of age and so have we. The artists tread very articulately and sensitively across all this terrain, yet with a disarming lightness that is refreshing and compelling.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Dieseln’Dub – A Music Documentary is a truly grassroots film. There was no conscious development or scriptwriting as such. The structure came out of dozens of hours of raw footage revised over months and viewed again and again in the editing phase until a narrative of sorts emerged. When I first picked up the camera I was simply documenting believing I would cut short clips for social media but the more involved I became with the project, I knew it deserved a bigger consideration. So in that sense it evolved into a fully-fledged feature documentary because there was just so much rich material to work with. And it was very difficult to pare it back even to 90 minutes.
If it were up to me I would allow the songs to play out in their entirety, the performances are just so powerful. And every artist interview deserves its own film, to be honest. There is so much wisdom in there. It was difficult to cut it back to fit neatly into a feature length format. It was also important to connect with Midnight Oil themselves and get their blessing for this project, which they supported since day one. I went along with Declan Kelly when he met with Peter Garrett to basically let him know he was embarking on this project and the response was very positive and encouraging. I kept in touch through their management all the way through to the final edit and in their own words, they always maintained a fondness for the project, and were very encouraging on the release.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
The film has not screened anywhere yet. It is literally fresh out of post-production and was selected to screen as part of the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival which I am absolutely thrilled about. I can’t wait for it to be seen by a wide audience and am keen to hear people’s reactions. Often people comment on the Midnight Oil angle, and wonder why on earth anyone would do those songs as reggae, but it is about much more than that and I think when people watch it, they’ll embrace the bigger story.
All of the artists involved with the film have seen the final edit and the response was overwhelmingly positive, very warm and generous; and to me that is the most important thing. Even if it doesn’t gain a large audience, I am happy that those involved have a film that has captured their participation in an extraordinary project.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
I do expect to be surprised and challenged by feedback, and I look forward to it. Whatever it is, it will help me grow as a filmmaker and as a person!
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I love the idea of being part of such a vibrant and passionate filmmaking community. So many films showcased on this site are stunning and powerful and to be included with them is very encouraging. It is a really good way to showcase the film and introduce it to a new audience.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I would love to reach as wide an audience as possible, so interest from sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors and journalists would be very welcome.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
It would be good if this film can spark some interest and awareness of some of the issues of First Nations people of this country. Midnight Oil sang about Indigenous rights, the surrounding politics and the environment and we forget that not much has been resolved since the release of “Diesel and Dust” back in 1987. If the film can remind people what these songs were about and offer the audience a different perspective on the issues, I think it might open some minds and hearts.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Why would anyone reinvent Midnight Oil hits in dub-reggae style?
Would you like to add anything else?
Gather a few mates, bring some snacks and tune in to the film while it is streaming as part of the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. Turn up the volume and enjoy the experience!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am working on my next documentary feature about Indigenous artist and activist Blak Douglas who has just won the Archibald Prize. Blak Douglas is always outspoken, always provocative and the film is shaping up to be a cracker.
Interview: July 2022
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. 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
Dieseln'Dub - A Music Documentary
Length:
1:30:00
Writer/Director/Producer
ANGELICA CRISTINA DIO is a Uruguayan-Australian filmmaker.
Key cast:
Declan Kelly, Emma Donovan, Pat Powell, Radical Son, Winston Stephenson, Mad Professor, Tony Hughes, Ross Fotheringham, Gambirra Illume, Robert Woolf, Matt Keegan
Looking for:
film festival directors, sales agents, distributors, buyers, journalists
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/DieselnDub
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/dieselndub/
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dieselndub/
Hashtags used:
#dieselndub #declankellymusic
More info:
Where can I watch it now?
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival