Nigger documentary to be shown at International Film Festival

A documentary detailing USQ academic Stephen Hagan’s fight to have the word ‘Nigger’ removed from a Toowoomba sports ground will be shown at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

‘Nigger Lovers’, which was directed by Stephen’s wife Rhonda, will be one of around 200 films to be shown at the festival, which begins later this month.

Stephen and fellow USQ academic Daryl Sparkes were co-producers and writers of the documentary, which since its premier in May has received critical acclaim.

'Originally the documentary was shown at the Indigenous Message Sticks film festival, where it was played to a packed audience at the Opera House,' Stephen said.

'Afterwards we had a question and answer with the crowd and they were appalled by the Australian Government’s failure in 2003 to take the direction of the United Nations to remove the offending word from the E. S. ‘Nigger’ Brown Stand.'

After successfully applying with the Australian Film Commission (AFC) to produce the documentary last year, Stephen said that it was gratifying to see a years worth of hard work pay off.

'In June last year, the AFC sent out a call to Indigenous communities nationwide looking for ideas for documentaries,' he said.

'The idea was that the director had to be Indigenous, so that they could get the opportunity to get into directing.

'Daryl Sparkes and Rhonda submitted a proposal to the AFC and we were one of five documentaries funded.'

With a $120,000 budget, Stephen and his team travelled across Australia’s East Coast interviewing everyone from local Indigenous people to the Australian leader of the Klu Klux Klan (KKK).

'We were in Herberton, Sydney, Byron Bay, Woodford, Brisbane and Toowoomba shooting the documentary,' Mr Hagan said.

'During that time we talked to some interesting people, including the Australian leader of the KKK, who many in the audience at the Opera House were also appalled by.'

Despite the controversy surrounding the documentary, the response to the film has been mostly positive.

'It’s been overwhelming and the audience in general has had two reactions to the documentary,' Stephen said.

'One is that they are in shock and awe by the powerful representation of the word and the other is that they are impressed by the quality of the production.'

Media Contact: Amy Cass, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2092