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Francis Jupurrula Kelly Francis Jupurrula Kelly i(A123555 works by) (a.k.a. Francis Kelly)
Gender: Male
Heritage: Aboriginal ; Aboriginal Warlpiri
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BiographyHistory

Francis Jupurrurla Kelly was born at Mt Doreen Station, Northern Territory on Warlpiri land near Yuendumu at a place called Luurnpakurlangu. His parents came from two different Warlpiri tribes. He is a film-maker and a key figure in the development of Warlpiri Media Association, and contributor to the development of Indigenous media and work in film and television.His contribution to his community contains positions such as a nurse for Northern Territory Health; and he was once a local Council Supervisor until he was further appointed as Community Advisor to the Local Government Minister's Indigenous Commissioner of Lands and Housing. Francis had also become President for the Yuendumu Local Government Council.

For the past 30 years, his most outstanding contribution is in the development of Warlpiri Media Association at Yuendumu and Aboriginal media in the remote Northern Territory and across Australia. His media career began in the 1980s, as a strong advocate for Aboriginal control of media broadcast in remote Communities. As a key board member, Francis was instrumental in establishing the first Aboriginal TV station, Indigenous Community TV (iCTV) in Australia. This development became the cornerstone in the "implementation of the Broadcasting for Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme" enabling local produced television to be broadcasted in language. This development, led to the establishment of National Indigenous Television (NITV) for which Francis was a founding board member. Still actively involved in the Northern Territory's film industry, Francis is also a member of the Australian Indigenous Communications Association and chair of the PAW Media (Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri Media and Communication).
Francis is recognised for his roles in films such as Bush Mechanics and Aboriginal Rules. He continues to make media in Yuendumu and has won many awards including:

  • Troy Albert Award for Best Cinematography Preston Memorial Award for Life Time Achievement for the Indigenous Remote Communications Association.
  • Bob Plasto Screen Award in 2012 for his achievements in the screen industry in Northern Territory.
(Sources: Coniston website: http://coniston.pawmedia.com.au; Francis Jupurrurla Kelly on www.bushmechanics.com; Koori Mail, issue 536 2012:50)

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

form y separately published work icon Coniston ( dir. Francis Jupurrula Kelly et. al. )agent Australia : Australian Broadcasting Corporation , 2013 Z1913586 2013 single work film/TV

'Known as "the last massacre", Coniston saw the brutal slaughter of 100 or more Aboriginal people across traditional lands of Central Australia from August 1928. The motive was to avenge the killing of dingo trapper Fred Brooks at the hands of a Warlpiri man, Bullfrog, who found Brooks taking liberties with his wife. But as the Walpiri people and their neighbours tell the story in Coniston, it's also the tragic tale of Australian contact history: dispossession by pastoralists and the struggle over resources in a drought-afflicted land. Using their acclaimed hybrid docu-drama approach to film-making, directors David Batty and Francis Jupurrurla Kelly (Bush Mechanics) allow Indigenous people to speak with authority about their own recent history and the deep shadow it cast over their country. ' (Source: TROVE)

2012 winner Australian Teachers of Media Awards Best docudrama
Last amended 4 Jul 2017 10:02:04
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