With a career spanning nearly three decades, Arrernte and Kalkadoon woman Rachel Perkins is among the most important storytellers in the country.
Her stories have the power and humanity to transform how Australians see themselves - and others.
Last night, Perkins was awarded the Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award at the Screen Music Awards held in Naarm/Melbourne.
The awards, co-hosted by proud Pitjantjatjara, Warrigmal, South Sea and German descended woman Elaine Crombie, acknowledge excellence and innovation in the field of screen composition.
CEO of APRA AMCOS, which present the Screen Music Awards, Dean Ormston said Perkins' impact on Australian film has been transformative.
"Her ability to tell stories that can both rattle and resonate the heart and the soul of this nation has contributed to the way we see and understand ourselves, not just as Australians, but as citizens of the world," he said.
“Through Rachel’s storytelling, we see the power of film to bridge divides, to reflect our struggles, our triumphs, our shared humanity.
"Her stories, whether Indigenous or non-Indigenous, have become woven into the fabric of our national story.
"They challenge us to look deeper, to understand more fully and to walk in the shoes of those whose experiences may be different from our own."
Perkins' significant contribution to the Australian film and television industry has culminated in award-winning television, feature films and documentaries including Bran Nue Dae, Jasper Jones, Mabo, Mystery Road, One Night the Moon, Radiance, Redfern Now, The Australian Wars and Total Control.
In 1992, Perkins founded Blackfella Films, a production company focused on Indigenous representation and culturally-significant stories, told by and with Indigenous screen creators.
The award-winning, seven-part documentary series First Australians (co-written, directed and co-produced by Perkins) was a standout production from Blackfella Films and is Australia's highest selling educational title.
From 2004 to 2008, Perkins served as a Commissioner with the Australian Film Commission and, since 2009, she has been a distinguished member of the Screen Australia board. Earlier this year, Perkins was appointed Chair of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School Council, a body she previously served on from 1998 to 2003.
With this award, Perkins adds to her collection of accolades including multiple AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts), ADG (Australian Directors Guild) and AFI (Australian Film Industy) awards.
In 2011 she was awarded the Australian International Documentary Conference Stanley Hawes Award in recognition of her contribution to documentary filmmaking in Australia and in 2017, she won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Dreamtime Awards, in recognition of her contributions to film and culture.
