Winda was set up by a collective of Indigenous filmmakers who strive to create, foster and support opportunities for Indigenous voices to empower, unify, inspire and entertain, through social, economic, innovation and self-sufficiency programs for the advancement of Aboriginal cultures, and stories in digital landscapes.
Established in 2016, Winda Film Festival celebrates emerging and established Indigenous filmmakers from across Australia and around the world.
Acknowledgement
The Winda Film Festival extend our respects to the Birrabirragal, Bidigal, Gadigal, Cammeraygal, Wongal, Muruoradial, Dharug and Dharawal peoples.
To all nations, especially our elders, past, present and future with whom we share our ancient practice of storytelling.
We would like to thank City of Sydney and UTS: Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research for their continued support of Winda.
Over the years we have had many other sponsors and supporters including: ScreenNSW, Screen Australia, Event Cinemas, 2SER, Koori Radio, imagineNATIVE, Maoriland, ICTV, 33 Creative, Metropolitan Aboriginal Land Council, NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Boomali, Consulate of Canada, and many more community supporters, and our filmmakers, we acknowledge them for the valuable support they have given to past festivals.
Meaning of Winda
Winda means “stars” predominately the stars in the sky around our time for stories to be told (between October to December) in Yaegl and Gumbayngirr nations. The logo is the star trail of the Milky Way which is seen across the Southern Hemisphere, and also inspired by The Emu In The Sky dreaming as one of the creation stories that crosses the nations of Australia.