Richard Frankland facts for kids
Richard Joseph Frankland is an Australian playwright, scriptwriter, and musician. He is an Aboriginal Australian from the Gunditjmara people in Victoria. He has worked a lot to support Aboriginal Australian causes.
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Early Life and Background
Richard Joseph Frankland was born in Melbourne, Australia. He spent most of his childhood growing up on the coast in south-west Victoria. He is a proud Gunditjmara man, which is an Aboriginal nation from that area.
Richard Frankland's Career Journey
Frankland had many different jobs before becoming a well-known artist. He worked as a soldier and a fisherman. He also worked as a field officer for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC). This was a major investigation that happened from 1987 to 1991. It looked into why Aboriginal people were dying while in police custody.
His experiences with the RCIADIC deeply affected him. They inspired him to write several plays. These plays include No Way to Forget, Who Killed Malcolm Smith, and Conversations with the Dead.
Films and Awards
Richard Frankland has won important awards for his films.
- No Way to Forget: In 1996, he won an AFI Award for Best Screenplay in a Short Film for No Way to Forget. This was a big achievement because it was the first time a film by an Indigenous director won an AFI Award. The film was even shown at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival in France. It was also broadcast across Australia on SBS TV.
- Harry's War: He wrote and directed Harry's War in 1999. This feature film tells the story of his uncle's experiences during World War II on the Kokoda Trail. The film was shown at the British War Memorial in London. It also won Best Short Film at director Spike Lee's special awards for black filmmakers in Hollywood.
Plays and Theatre
Frankland's play Conversations with the Dead was first performed in 2003. It was put on by Company B Belvoir and directed by Wesley Enoch. Many talented actors, including Wayne Blair and Lillian Crombie, were in the play. In 2004, this powerful play was even performed at the United Nations.
Music and Bands
Richard Frankland is also a talented musician. His music can be heard in many of his films.
- Djaambi: In 1992, his first band, Djaambi, had the amazing opportunity to open for the famous artist Prince during his Australian tour.
- The Charcoal Club: He started The Charcoal Club band in 1990. This band included both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members. They have released three albums on CD: The Charcoal Club (2002), Cry Freedom (2005), and Hearts Full of Rust (2010).
Other Important Work
In the early 1990s, Richard Frankland started Mirimbiak Nations Aboriginal Corporation (MNAC). This was the first Indigenous statewide land organization in Victoria in about 25 years. MNAC worked to represent traditional owners and helped them make native title claims across Victoria. This included the successful Gunditjmara claim.
Richard also played a key role in forming Defenders of Native Title (DONT). This group later became Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTAR), which works to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights.
In 2004, he helped create the Your Voice political party. This happened after the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was closed down. Frankland believed it was important for Indigenous Australians to have a strong voice in society. He said:
It's time that we as Indigenous Australians put the onus of equity back on non-Indigenous Australians and ask
them straight out, 'Is this a racist society? Would you like to see Indigenous Australians in the halls of Parliament?
Do you believe in an equitable voice in this society? With the abolition of ATSIC, Aboriginal people now have no voice.
We have no point of political dialogue.—Richard Frankland
Academia and Education
Richard Frankland has also worked in education. He was the Head of the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the University of Melbourne. In 2015, he became an Associate Professor in Cross-Disciplinary Practice. This role is in the Division of Fine Arts and Music at the Victorian College of the Arts.
Music Albums (Discography)
- Down Three Waterholes Road – Larrikin (1997)
- Dingo's Brekky Richard Frankland and the New Senate – Blackhorn Productions (2000)
- The Charcoal Club: Meeting One The Charcoal Club – Taram Records (2002)
- Cry Freedom: Meeting Two The Charcoal Club – Taram Records (2005)
Awards and Recognitions
Richard Frankland has received many awards for his important contributions to arts and social justice:
- 2008 – Roz Bower Awards (Australia Council) – For his leadership and artistic work focused on reconciliation and social justice.
- 2007 – 'Winner Outstanding Achievement' – Deadly Awards – For The Circuit.
- 2006 – 'Band of The Year' (nominee) – Deadly Awards – Charcoal Club Band.
- 2004 – Uncle Jackie Charles Award – For his services to Indigenous Theatre – Ilbijerri Theatre Company.
- 2000 – 'Best Short Film' – St Tropez Film Festival – Harry's War.
- 2000 – 'Best Short Film'/'3rd Most Popular Film Overall' – Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame (US) – Harry's War.
- 2000 – 'Best Short Film' – Atom Awards – Harry's War.
- 2000 – 'Best Screenplay', 'Open Craft Award' (David Ngoombujarra) – St Kilda Film Festival – Harry's War.
- 2000 – 'Best International Short Film' (Jury Award) – Hollywood Black Film Festival – Harry's War.
- 2000 – 'Best Australian Short Film' – Flickerfest – Harry's War.
- 1999 – 'Best Short Australian Film promoting Human Values' – Melbourne International Film Festival – Harry's War.
- 1998 – 'Best Visual Design (editing)' – Australian Film Institute Awards – After Mabo.
- 1997 – 'Best Film' – Bathurst Film Festival – No Way to Forget.
- 1997 – Invitation to participate in Australian Retrospective – Denver International Film Festival – No Way to forget Denver, USA.
- 1996 – 'Best Short Film', 'Best Sound in a Short Film' – Australian Film Institute Awards – No Way to Forget.
- 1996 – 'Best New Director' – Richard Frankland – St Kilda Film Festival – No Way to Forget.
- 1993 – 'Best Documentary' – Australian Film Institute Awards – Who Killed Malcolm Smith.
