Joao Dujon Pereira - Black Hole director's exclusive interview

PEREIRA: One of my housemates had been to the blockade in January of 2014. On his return I saw a considerable affect the experience had on him. He explained what he had experienced and what the issues were. He had seen some of my previous film work and suggested that I take a trip up to have a look for myself. A month or so later I did just that. I only intended to make a short film, but once I arrived and began to understand more about the issue and ob-serving what was developing I was completley intrigued with so many diverse people coming together to stand for a common cause.

PEREIRA: That is a tough question really, as there was so many remarkable parts in the film. I think ul-timately it was the scene towards the end of the film when the Gomeroi were finally given ac-cess to their land in order to do ceremony, but when they arrived the management of Whitehaven Coal began giving them reasons why they could not visit their sacred sites. I was very honoured throughout the making of the film to have been entrusted to capture footage of the Gomeroi's ceremony and sacred sites. In this particular part of the film, it was so amazing to watch the elders and community push back against Whitehaven Coal and it gain access to do ceremony on their sacred sites that had been destroyed.

PEREIRA: Way too many! Like any film, what you see on screen is only a snippet of everything that occurred. Just thinking about an answer to this question brings up so many flashbacks to the behind the scenes to the making of the film. So it is very difficult to pin point one. It would take a novel to be able to express the many standout behind the scenes moments.

PEREIRA: I had really great feedback from audiences following the release of Black Hole. After the World Premiere at EFFA (Environmental Film Festival Australia), I took the film on a cinema tour throughout the east coast of Australia. At one of the screenings in Gunnedah (near Maules Creek), there were some miners from the Maules Creek Mine in attendance. Following the screen one of the miners made comment that although he worked in the mine he was unaware of all the issues that were brought forward in the film, in particular the destruction of sacred indigenous sites and that the Leard State Forest was an endangered Forest. He was actually brought to tears and ex-plained that if he was skilled in other work he would not be working in the mine. I had really great feedback from audiences following the release of Black Hole. After the World Premiere at EFFA (Environmental Film Festival Australia), I took the film on a cinema tour throughout the east coast of Australia. At one of the screenings in Gunnedah (near Maules Creek), there were some miners from the Maules Creek Mine in attendance. Following the screen one of the miners made comment that although he worked in the mine he was unaware of all the issues that were brought forward in the film, in particular the destruction of sacred indigenous sites and that the Leard State Forest was an endangered Forest. He was actually brought to tears and ex-plained that if he was skilled in other work he would not be working in the mine.