By ALESHA CAPONE
THE story of a talented young South Sudanese songwriter is the subject of a new documentary from filmmaker Natalie Cunningham.
Ms Cunningham’s previous documentary, shot in Sunshine, focused on her grandmother’s memories of growing up in Greece and immigrating to Australia.
Ms Cunningham’s latest doco is about 17-year-old hip-hop artist Ror, who arrived in Australia as a refugee at the age of nine with his family.
‘Ror’ is up for two awards including Best Postgraduate Production 2013 from the Victorian College of the Arts, where Ms Cunningham studies.
Ror said he was “pretty surprised and excited” when Ms Cunningham asked him to be in her documentary.
He collaborates with other young people and producers such as Motley and Dan West to create songs at the Rising High Recording Studio, in a program offered by Yarra City Council.
“I discovered I could write my own lyrics and it was a way for me to tell a story, mainly about my life and the world around me,” he said.
Ms Cunningham spent three months following Ror with her camera after his “incredible and reflective lyrics” caught her attention on a compilation CD.
“You find the most extraordinary stories in the most random places when you’re not even looking,” she said.
“You don’t often have a 16-year-old guy writing lyrics about not standing for violence against women.”
Ms Cunningham said as she and Ror became acquainted they discovered they had both attended Sunshine North Primary School, but in different years.
“The first day I went along to the Rising High Studio and Ror was there collaborating on some lyrics, I was just so happy to be there and seeing that,” she said.
‘Ror’ will screen with other VCA works at ACMI on Friday at 8.45pm and Sunday at 6.15pm and 9.15pm.
See http://www.acmi.net.au/vca-grad-screenings-2013.aspx for tickets.
