by Sahar Foladi
Locals from all walks of lives from Casey and Greater Dandenong were moved by a preview screening of the film ‘My Melbourne’.
Produced by Indian-Australian film-maker Mitu Bhowmick Lange from Mindblowing Films, the anthology of four stories of diverse identity and belonging is set to be released nationally in March.
Lange is also the festival director of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and according to her this is the first time in a decade such an Australian film will be released in India.
“The reason for making My Melbourne was our opportunity to tell our own stories and be able to talk about the authentic stories we have. To be the storytellers of our own stories, rather than through other people’s lenses.
“That was the key aim and objective – authentic storytelling.
“We wanted to celebrate the four foundations of diversity which is disability, gender race and sexuality.
The preview was held at the Village Cinemas Fountain Gate on Thursday 23 January, co-hosted by Bruce MP Julian Hill who is also friends with the producer.
“Mitu and I have been friends through my brother. When he was alive, he was a dear friend of Mitu and he was a filmmaker,” Hill said.
“This film My Melbourne took a film festival in India by storm and is about to be released in 22 cities.
“It’s terrific that we have so many members of our community particularly from our Afghan and Indian community who are featured in the film are here tonight.”
My Melbourne depicts incidents in Setara Amiri’s life after she migrated to Australia in 2021 from Afghanistan.
Setara, meaning star, is literally considered the star of the film and it was evident she had a long line of fans waiting to click photos with her after the preview.
“It’s very important as a young Afghan girl who lost her identity, to inspire everyone not just young girls from Afghanistan.
“There’s lots of opportunities for everyone from every background in Australia.”
Others in the audience were moved to tears at Setara’s story, with her telling of her passion for cricket, being on the Afghanistan National Cricket team and how she was forced to leave all that behind and start anew.
Casey resident Nisar Ahmad struggled to contain his emotions after the screening.
“It was an amazing movie but when Setara came on the screen it took me back to Afghanistan and the thought of all the girls living there who can’t study and are deprived of their basic rights which is education.
“I was emotional, and I wanted to cry for my fellow Afghan sisters and women and girls living in Afghanistan.”
Mulgrave MP Eden Foster, Narre Warren North MP Belinda Wilson, Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah MP, Casey mayor Stefan Koomen, community organisations such as the Bakhtar Community Organisation also attended.
Koomen says it’s important for migrant stories to be showcased.
“Every migrant that comes to Australia has their own story and it’s important to showcase those and explain to people in our community what the history is of different ways of migration and the different people who have come to call Casey home.”
