First Nations Australians are among the most disproportionately incarcerated people in the world, making up 37% of the prison population while comprising only 3.8% of the total Australian population. There have been at least 636 First Nations deaths in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, with only one conviction made. This lives below the awareness of most Australians. A documentary called Facing the Numbers, written and directed by First Nations filmmakers, Kieran Satour (Malngin, Pertame and Worimi) and Tyson Perkins (Arrernte and Kalkadoon), hopes to change that.

The documentary was led by First Nations owned and operated production house, GARUWA, and made in partnership with Common Ground and Revolver. Through personal testimonies, cinematic recreations, dance and music, it centres on the people and families whose stories are too often reduced to numbers. Even for those Australians who have heard the statistics, fewer understand the systemic issues behind them, or how they translate into human stories and lived experiences.

Kieran Satour stated, “The stories we are telling in Facing the Numbers are Australian stories. We all have the responsibility to ensure that everyone in our country is treated fairly and equally. That’s why it was important to have the support of all of our partners, cast and crew, to produce this film in a way that did not compromise on quality and care.”

For Revolver founder Michael Ritchie, the partnership with GARUWA reflects a wider responsibility for Australia’s production and advertising industries – to give First Nations creatives the opportunity and resources to lead the work, from its earliest stages through to the finished film. Ritchie is also an executive producer of Facing the Numbers, and the film forms part of a broader national campaign intended to create change beyond the screen.

“Knowing when to listen can be as important as knowing when to speak,” he stated. “In mid 2023, Revolver was asked to mentor GARUWA via a Screen Australia initiative. What started as mentoring evolved into a deep partnership that transformed how we work as a company. When Kieran showed us the unfinished Facing the Numbers, we offered our support and producer, Lily Warland, to help complete it. This film uses an artfully elevated film language to tell an extraordinarily vital story. It represents why GARUWA was created, and we are eager to see them expand their impact across drama and commercial storytelling.”

The documentary draws on the experiences of Uncle Michael ‘Widdy’ Welsh, Geoffrey Johnson, Kylie Hampton, Matthew Coe and the family of Mark Mason Snr. Its predominantly First Nations cast and creative team bring those accounts to life through performance, choreography, poetry and music.

Ritchie hopes the collaboration prompts agencies and brands to think more seriously about who has authorship of the stories they put into the world. “Given current political challenges surrounding First Nations issues, the best thing our industry can do is directly support and engage with First Nations talent and creative leadership,” Ritchie added.

The film will screen at the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday, October 27 at 6pm, followed by a Q&A from Facing the Numbers storytellers. Tickets are available here.

Support the team to change the statistics: @facingthenumbersfilm  facingthenumbers.com.au