232:, with English subtitles. Set in around 1940 in Central Australia, the 12-minute film tackled the most serious subject matter she had so far attempted. Jacob is the product of the rape of his mother, Gina, by a white man, and Gina suffers from post-natal depression. Curtis drew on a stories from her own family history for the film, and said that "I want the audience to see proud Indigenous men and the lives they once lived". According to Alexandra Garcia in a 2018 article: "Curtis' exploration throughout Jacob of poor mental health as a result of sexual abuse, as well as life for Indigenous citizens during the Stolen Generations, is no doubt the most heartbreaking, honest and confronting eleven minutes of film to hit Australian television screens in recent times." In April 2018, the film was re-aired by
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Curtis has mentored emerging filmmakers, and participated in many development workshops supporting their careers. She has facilitated Screen
Australia's Indigenous Producer Program, a national initiative, as well as the 2020 "Make it FNQ: Creating Screen Stories" initiative supported by Screenworks
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Screen is a powerful platform for sharing stories of our cultural, people and history. It will always play a part in presenting stories and portraying characters that imbue our community spirit, cultural pride and sharing information to encourage all
Australians to stand in solidarity. For
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for the ABC. Directed by Dean Gibson and hosted by Phil
Breslin, the series looks at the complex scientific principles behind traditional Aboriginal weapons, discussing and testing them with weapon makers and scientific experts.
406:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander practitioners, screen storytelling is our form of activism, we may not change the world but we can play a small part in shifting the hearts and minds of people watching.
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127:(CAAMA) who were filming in the town. Some months later CAAMA encouraged her to apply for a role as production assistant. She was hired for the role, working for CAAMA Productions in
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182:. A digital, fully-restored version of the film was shown as one of four to be shown at a special event mounted by the Cinema Reborn film festival in October 2021.
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In 2015 she formed her own production company, Inkey Media, based in
Brisbane, and has since worked as writer, director, and producer on many programs.
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is an
Australian film producer and director. She is known for writing and directing several short films, and directed the first series of
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1165:"Rebel With a Cause Producers Dena Curtis and Citt Williams Talk About Amplifying First Nations Trailblazers in This Interview"
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In July 2024, she was a guest speaker at the inaugural "Regionality
Sunshine Coast" documentary and factual filmmaking event.
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After graduating from AFTRS, Curtis returned to work at CAAMA Productions for several years. Her editing credits include
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She is executive producer and co-producer (with Citt
Williams) on the 2023 four-part NITV documentary series
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In 2024, Curtis was named as one of the participants in the Global
Producers Exchange, a program hosted by
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that supports the development of
Indigenous and cultural stories with internationally based collaborators.
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series, a compilation of short films by Indigenous filmmakers relating to culture, country, and history.
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After completing school, Curtis worked as a media officer at the local language centre in
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706:"AFTRS Alumni Works Nominated for the 2020 Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network Award"
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National Awards, Award for Best Fictional Drama Short – Murray Lui (cinematographer)
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in 2015. She co-developed and co- produced the 2018 children's TV series
247:(NITV) as a senior editor and promo producer. After this she worked for
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with a Graduate Diploma (Film & Television) in Television Editing.
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1330:"Make it in FNQ: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander initiative"
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region who travel into the bush for five days to hunt and gather
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758:"Films from the Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association"
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791:"Jacob: written and directed by Dena Curtis: FESTIVAL PRESSKIT"
80:(2024). She is the owner of production company Inkey Media in
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2008: Winner, Audience Award for Best Foreign Short Film,
389:) and co-wrote (with Jacob Hickey) the documentary series
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for first-time and early First Nations filmmakers in
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1409:"AACTA Awards 2018: The Letdown, Safe Harbour win"
1163:Curtis, Dena; Williams, Citt (29 September 2023).
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429:Australian International Documentary Conference
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125:Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association
640:"Spotlight: Dena Curtis for NAIDOC Week 2024"
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1170:(Interview). Interviewed by Pearce, Andrew.
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208:in 2009, and screened at the
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1197:Stream free on SBS On Demand
1139:"Rebel With a Cause (2023)"
507:for Best Children's Program
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1193:"Watch Rebel With a Cause"
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970:(1). UTS ePRESS: 75–77.
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895:"A long suit in Shorts"
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344:(2021), about women's
327:and Brendan Fletcher.
303:She produced the 2018
119:, a small town in the
1085:"A League Of Her Own"
285:and Glynn McDonald),
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1361:ScreenHub Australia
1310:. 29 September 2020
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530:Australians in Film
342:A League of Her Own
323:(2021), created by
204:, premiered at the
1336:. 10 November 2020
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1093:. 19 February 2024
1065:. 16 December 2022
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