Back-Breeding, 2023, performance, film stills, wool, on Amangu Country, eight voices and field recordings, John Deer 1986 Tractor, 11:00 mins.
Intertwining vocal workshops, community rituals, and farm practices, Tina Stefanou's work considers the value of grain and wool to her Wheatbelt host. Stefanou reimagines activities originating from a romanticised perception of regional life. In doing so, she draws on the emotive force of nostalgia for a past commonly seen in rural communities.
"Back-breeding" refers to the process of breeding livestock to revive disappearing traits, including those of extinct species. This attempt to reverse the past contrasts with current realities influenced by climate crises and socio-economic shifts.
Concept/Director: Tina Stefanou
Cinematography: Wil Normyle
Edit: Wil Normyle
Production Assistance: Donna Franklin
Sound design: Joseph Franklin
Colour grade: Tim Wreyford
Co-producers: The North Midlands Project, Andrew Bowman and Louisa Cole
Featured performers
Marcell Billinghurst, Jessica Parker, Cassie Ulijn, Cody Parker, Kane Parker, Jaydee Wilmot, Jazmyne Wilmot, Tina Stefanou, Jackson the Horse, Mikey Turner, Scott and Frankie Bowman, and Angela Dring