Update 5 August
Due to the COVID-inforced lockdown, the AFF Youth festival, including the Report Card series, was unable to proceed as planned. On 4 August a new online streaming platform was announced as part of a re-scheduled and re-energised festival format. We hope to present the Report Card series in 2022.
The Report Card
Children’s content builds and celebrates Australian identity in all its wondrous complexity and diversity.
Following each of The Report Card screenings, students can hear from, and speak directly with, the content makers on what they want from the films and TV being made for and about them.
First Day
Episode 1 – 23 min
On the eve of her high school debut, Hannah Bradford (model and activist Evie Macdonald) is anxious about the usual stuff: what does her uniform look like? Who will she sit with at lunch? Hannah is also trans, and with her identity comes a unique set of worries, skills and strengths, portrayed here with maturity and authenticity by 12-year-old Macdonald – the first transgender actor to lead an Australian TV series. While First Day always centres Hannah’s experience, the warm-hearted four-parter also paints a broader picture of gender, family and friendship. From sleepovers to periods, every kid in Hannah’s class is facing their own unknown first in this nuanced look at girlhood. Co-winner of the 2021 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Kids & Family Programming.
Session includes Q&A with producer Kirsty Stark.
Tue 27 Jul 1:15 PM at Palace Nova Eastend Cinema 04
Are You Tougher Than Your Ancestors?
Episode 5 – 24 min
Young people today cop a lot of ribbing for having an easier life than their forebears. This ABC Me series road tests that generalisation, daring 21st century Australian kids to tackle the jobs and hobbies of yesteryear. In this episode, ‘The Original “Ghan” Trains’, Ezekiel, 13, and Nathaniel, 14, are tasked with trekking in the footsteps of their 1900s predecessor William Satour and his desert country camel train. The rolling purple hills of Adnyamathanha Country may provide a picturesque backdrop for the journey, but leading a caravan of camels through the heat and flies is no small feat. Will the laidback lads rise to the challenge and – with the help of convivial host Ghenoa Gela – learn more about their Afghan and Aboriginal heritage along the way?
Session includes Q&A with teenage cast.
Thu 29 Jul 1:15 PM at Palace Nova Eastend Cinema 04
H is for Happiness
Barry Jonsberg’s beloved novel My Life as an Alphabet is vivified on screen with bright colours, bold style and big feelings. Set in Albany, Western Australia (or, more accurately, a deeply twee rendering thereof), the feel-good family flick centres on Candice Phee (Daisy Axon, Judy & Punch), a relentlessly positive, pragmatic 12-year-old who reads the dictionary for fun. Crack open the film’s candy-coloured shell, however, and you’ll find a bluer heart, as Candice takes it upon herself to fix her parents’ grief and sorrow. Buoyed by a lively performance from its young lead, H… is grounded by its supporting cast, which features such veteran actors as Richard Roxburgh (Rake), Deborah Mailman (2067, AFF 2020) and the inimitable Miriam Margolyes.
Session includes Q&A with filmmakers and child actors.
Fri 30 Jul 9:45 AM at Palace Nova Eastend Eximax