Language of Birds

Language of Birds is a feature drama film written, directed and co-produced by First Nations creative, Erica Glynn. Language of Birds is the story of an Aboriginal mother and daughter battling to fall in love after a lifetime apart. Different languages, culture and two strong wills make this nearly impossible. Lucky, they have each other.

The search to find and connect with your blood family is a common feature of most Aboriginal Australians life. Stories of the stolen generation and adoption are multifaceted, and the process of family members re-uniting and re-connecting are never straight forward. The experience is rarely told on screen from a women’s perspective, this film forefronts a reconciliation story of a mother and daughter. Now more than ever, following the failure of the Voice to Parliament Referendum, do we need to build the bridge between First Nations peoples and the broader Australian populace.

Through the powerful medium of film, this storytelling will assist audiences to gain a deeper an understanding of the long-term consequences of the Stolen Generation policies for First Nations people. With more knowledge and awareness, audiences can champion and build support for First Nations led reconciliation policies and family healing programs. Language of Birds will contribute to First Nations peoples efforts to instill a national culture of truth telling and create better understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples through empathy and storytelling. 

In writer/director/producer Erica Glynn’s words: “If we aren’t looking for someone we know who was stolen as a child, someone stolen is looking for us. The stories that have always struck the deepest chord with me are the ones from people lucky enough to still have parents alive, who bravely venture off to reconnect face to face. In almost every instance its painful and heartbreaking journey of accepting differences.”

We are excited, we have a green light!  Good news Screen Australia has confirmed production funding into Language of Birds. We still have a gap of over $300,000 to fill in addition to waiting to press go on our Screen Territory application. Screen Territory are waiting on the NT Government to approve their overall budget but they are very aware & very committed to Erica & to her making this film