Gidja Walker is a Mornington Peninsula-based ecologist and ethnobotanist who has worked for years protecting its Earthscapes. Gidja overcame discrimination in a male-dominated profession. She is a mentor to young women entering the world of nature-based learning and an advocate for traditional owner custodianship.

Interview with Producer/Director Heather Forbes-McKeon

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

Gidja has been educating, informing and inspiring people with her knowledge of earthscapes and advocacy and support for the protection of indigenous cultural heritage on the Mornington Peninsula for decades. She is known as a local icon, an activist and ecology guru. I felt it was time Gidja was given the acknowledgment and recognition that she deserved.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

To be inspired by a woman who fights the good fight for Indigenous cultural heritage and local and national earthscapes. Gidja is outspoken, determined, humorous and positive. She's often in contentious situations however, she deals with conflict respectfully and intelligently. Although not mentioned in the film; along with the Save Briars Sanctuary group, Gidja's voice was integral in the fight against the Warner Brothers' Harry Potter sound and light show being relocated from the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary on the Mornington Peninsula early in 2024.

Dreamweavers Gidja Walker OAM - Gidja in 1986 when she rode a bike from Adelaide to Darwin

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The film is a biographical-style documentary focused on a woman who has been discriminated against in a male-dominated profession. Gidja is an outspoken advocate for indigenous cultural heritage on the Mornington Peninsula which can at times be a real challenge in an increasingly popular and developing tourism area. The universal theme of representing minorities both as a female ecologist and as an advocate for Indigenous cultural heritage defines Gidja's work-life and mission.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?

I created the script by constructing it around a series of questions that were put to Gidja. She sent me her answers in writing. I edited her responses and this formed the script. We filmed her audio responses to the questions and designed and selected the visuals and locations based on her responses and her activities. Sometimes, weather or other challenges meant a change of location was needed. We had to recreate a boardroom scene as no governing body would allow us to film Gidja in a formal meeting.

Dreamweavers Gidja Walker OAM - Gidja painting at home

What type of feedback have you received so far?

The feedback on the film so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Many people on the Mornington Peninsula know of Gidja and her work. Most people were already in awe of her and I think the film has cemented this view. "She's one of a kind!", "Gidja's a local and national treasure!", "She's the guru of ecology!" has been said many times again and again by people who have seen the film. And also, "It's a beautiful film about Gidja!" has been said many times.

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

No not at all.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

1. I’m looking for recognition of the quality of our filmmaking.

2. To increase the possibilities of more film screenings and funding opportunities.

3. For Gidja to be given more support, acknowledgment and recognition for her work and mission.

Dreamweavers Gidja Walker OAM - Gidja at Pt Nepean, Portsea Victoria

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

We'd like sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors & journalists to come on board as Gidja is making a significant contribution to Australia's conservation of our earthscapes and cultural heritage. Gidja is described in the film by Climate Scientist, Dr Greg Holland as "Having an encyclopedic brain!" Her knowledge and advocacy is invaluable and should be more widely recognised, documented and acknowledged. Gidja has a lot of clout and courage which sometimes poses problems for some governing bodies. They know that what she has to say is significant and substantial and at times this conflicts with their intentions.

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

For Gidja to be given more acknowledgment and recognition for her work and mission and for more people to be inspired by Gidja. Also, for more people to see the challenges Gidja faces in her work in order to understand what is needed to support cultural heritage and earthscape protection.

Behind the scenes of Dreamweavers Gidja Walker OAM - Filming Gidja in Greensbush, Mornington Peninsula

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

Why is it left to one strong and determined person to fight the good fight in order to protect cultural heritage and earthscapes? Why are these national assets not valued enough by the powers that be?

Would you like to add anything else?

We were faced with some unusual challenges during the making of this film. Gidja being an outspoken protector of cultural heritage and earthscapes meant that we were sometimes refused permission to film her at certain locations or we were forced to comply with mountains of red tape, possibly, in the hope that we would give up. We didn't give up, instead, we found ways around any problems and continued with our intention of telling Gidja's story.

What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?

We are planning to make more short documentaries for the Dreamweavers series; a series about inspirational women on the Mornington Peninsula. We are also wanting to make a second short fictional film.

Interview: June 2024

We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela

Dreamweavers Gidja Walker OAM

Length: 21:00

Director: Yanni Dellaportas, Heather Forbes-McKeon

Producer: Heather Forbes-McKeon

Writer: Heather Forbes-McKeon

About the writer, director and producer:

HEATHER FORBES-MCKEON is a playwright, screenwriter, poet, short film director, producer and radio producer. Heather created, co-directed and produced the short film series Dreamweavers (2021-2023). She wrote and produced the short film The Shell (2018). She produced a ten-part radio series for RPPFM from 2017 - 2018. Melbourne Writer’s Theatre has produced a number of her works from 2017 - 2020. Heather completed a Masters in Writing and Literature at Deakin University in 2014.

YANNI DELLAPORTAS is a well-established Mornington Peninsula photographer and digital artist. Yanni began creating and directing short films in 2018. Yanni collaborated with Forbes-McKeon on the short film series Dreamweavers(2021- 2023) as co-director, cinematographer, editor and music composer. Past credits include: The Shell (2018), Liquid(music video - 2018), and Beautiful Storm (2023.) Yanni’s award-winning photographs have been exhibited across Australia. His work has been published in leading Australian newspapers, magazines, photo books and international novels.

Key cast: Gidja Walker

Looking for: distributors, sales agents, film festival directors, buyers, journalists

Facebook: Dreamweavers

Instagram: @dreamweavers319

Hashtags used: #dreamweaverseries #dreamcatcherproductionsaustralia #twotailspublishing

Funders: Self-funded

Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival at Cinema Nova on Sunday 28 July. Shorts Session 7.