Not another Kelly film

THE Ned Kelly legend may be the most documented fragment of Australian folklore. The infamous bushranger boasts an extensive filmography, with 11 feature films, three television miniseries, several theatre productions and countless biographies, poems and ballads. For many, the suggestion of another Ned Kelly film prompts raised eyebrows and exasperated sighs of “Oh God, not another one”. But the saturated Kelly genre doesn’t seem to intimidate filmmakers Darren K Hawkins and Sara Elizabeth Joyce. In fact, it seems to inspire them. “When I tell people about our film I usually don’t even mention Ned Kelly,” Sara laughed. “Essentially we are telling a broad love story about a young Irish man called Michael who settled halfway across the world, whose life is tragically cut short by a man called Edward Kelly. “That’s the story.” Sara and Darren recently finished the first draft of their Kennedy script, a new Australian film chronicling the life and death of Sergeant Michael Kennedy, one three policemen shot by the Kelly Gang in the notorious Stringybark Creek shootout. The filmmaking duo are adamant they are not making another “overcooked Kelly film”, but are instead adding a perspective that has been hidden from audiences “for far too long”. And they aren’t pulling any punches. “We want to right a wrong that has plagued Australian history for 145 years,” Sara said. “People continuously view Kelly as the Robin Hood-esque hero when in fact he was a criminal that killed people. “This is an injustice and we want to correct that narrative.” A chance encounter Darren was aimlessly flicking through channels one night where he happened upon an intriguing episode of Lawless, a 2017 documentary exploring Australia's most notorious bushrangers. Narrated by investigative journalist Mike Munro, the episode focused on the 1878 Stringybark Creek shootout between The Kelly Gang and the police. Darren was transfixed by the unfolding story, and watched as Munro interviewed Leo Kennedy, the great-grandson of fallen Sergeant Michael Kennedy. “I grew up hearing a lot of pro-Kelly stories and watching a lot of films that painted him as this folk hero,” Darren explained. “I found Leo’s interview so moving, especially when he spoke about his great-grandfather’s murder and the impact on his family. “It was basically this epiphany moment where I wondered if there was more to the Kelly story.” Darren spent the next several weeks consumed by research, devouring documentaries and combing through old records. The accomplished actor and founder of Lonely Hill Films was eager to share his idea with a colleague he knew could bring the vision to the silver screen. “I phoned Sara and basically pitched her a few ideas I had for upcoming projects,” he said. “I mentioned this and she said ‘stop that’s the one’. “We were both instantly hooked.” Long-time friends and filmmakers Sara and Darren have worked on several previous projects together. A self-described theatre kid, Sara spent two decades working as an actor before she fell in love with cinematography. “I worked on props, the steadicam department, production, basically anything apart from hair and makeup throughout the 90s,” she said. “By 2000 I was producing my first feature film.” Sara credits her diverse background as a key building block for her success as a screenwriter. “When you’ve worked across lots of different roles you get a greater understanding of the mechanisms behind the scenes and you gain a greater appreciation for the part everyone on a film set plays,” she said. “I think it’s made me a better communicator and a better filmmaker.” Sara's producing credentials are undoubtedly extensive, having worked on numerous Hollywood productions including Star Wars, The Matrix, and Gods of Egypt. She and Darren recently wrapped filming in Tamworth, a joint project they remain tightlipped on. “We have worked together before, so I think we are really eager to bring Michael Kennedy’s story to life,” Darren said. “It’s incredibly exciting.” Space for truth-telling Darren and Sara recently travelled to Nagambie for wawa biik, a Taungurung Cultural Tour, in preparation for the film. The pair met with Taungurung elder Uncle Shane Monk and Taungurung guides Jonah Tamatea Honeysett and Ashleigh Wilkinson and visited key historical sites including Reedy Lake. Darren and Sara emphasised the importance of including First Nations perspectives in their script - a practice they believe many screenwriters should use. “We want our film to be as historically accurate as possible, so that means including Traditional Owners and using their perspective to inform aspects of the script like prop design, landscape, clothing and dialect,” Sara said. “For example, on this tour we’ve learnt about the Indigenous practice of tree scarring – that’s something that can be included in film’s landscape.” Taungurung guide Jonah Tamatea Honeysett, Darren K Hawkins, Ashleigh Wilkinson, Sara Elizabeth Joyce and Uncle Shane Monk. Uncle Shane gladly met the pair during the tour and welcomed them and other visitors with a smoking ceremony. “To be on this land is to be committed to truth-telling,” Uncle Shane said. “That is a privilege.” Fellow tour guide Jonah agreed and explained the importance of truth-telling for “dormant stories”. “We use truth-telling to wake up dormant stories from our lineage,” he said during the tour. Both Darren and Sara cited truth-telling as “major source of inspiration” for the script. “We want to tell a different side to a story so many people have heard before,” Sara explained. “We want to tell the truth.” Nagambie is not the only place Darren and Sara have visited in preparation for the film. In April, the pair saw Mansfield Shire’s police memorial and spoke with locals at the Delatite Hotel and Historical Society. They hope to travel to Ireland to see Michael Kennedy’s childhood home next year. However the most emotive location was Stringybark Creek. The pair visited the infamous shootout location in April amidst a period of torrential rain. “We basically visited the site and it was pouring rain and hail and everything was exceptionally eerie,” Sara said. Darren agreed and became visibly teary when recounting the experience. “It was incredibly emotional to visit the place where Michael was murdered,” he said. “It was really moving and really reinforced the importance of the story we are writing.” Darren and Sara participated in wawa biik, a Taungurung Cultural Tour, in preparation for the film. A pro-history film Both Darren and Sara made no effort to disguise their distaste for Kelly and were frequently critical of “Kelly apologists” – historians and members of the public who “glorified and worshipped” the Kelly legacy. They both consider many of his crimes worthy of terrorism and referenced “countless incidents where he robbed and assaulted people”. “I think people admire Kelly and revere him almost as a Bonnie and Clyde figure, but he wasn’t just a cheeky troublemaker, he was a criminal,” Darren said. However, when asked if they would describe their film as anti-Kelly, the pair hesitated. “I’d say our film isn’t pro-Kelly or anti-Kelly,” Darren said after a pause. “It’s pro-history and we want to share a side of history that hasn’t been told.” As well as sharing Sergeant Kennedy’s story, Darren and Sara also wanted to highlight Mansfield township’s contribution to the Kelly story. “After Michael’s murder, the Mansfield community rallied around his widow Bridgette and Maria Lonigan and made sure they were well-supported,” Darren explained. “They actually advocated for them to receive a legacy pension – we actually believe they were the first in Australian to receive this. “That’s a wonderful achievement and I don’t think the Mansfield community receives enough acknowledgement for that.” Darren and Sara said they had received many inquiries from people who were interested in Michael Kennedy’s story. “I think there’s a real appetite for people to hear a different side and we are really eager to do the story justice,” Darren said. Did they anticipate a negative reaction from some audiences? “Oh without a doubt,” Darren laughed. “We are definitely expecting a wide variety of responses, including a significant backlash from certain groups of people. “I’ve actually already had some pro-Kelly people email me and tell me to leave Ned alone”. For those unfamiliar with the Kelly controversy, this response may seem like a slight overreaction to an event which happened over a century ago. However, the preservation of legacy and protection of truth continue to spark polarising debate between those who view Kelly as an iconic folk hero and those who view him as criminal. Sara believed many people’s stance and sympathy were dependent on the type of media they consumed. “There are many people who read certain books by certain historians and automatically sympathise with Kelly,” she said. “If you do the real research, I think a lot of people will end up being on the side of police, at least that’s what happened to me.” Darren said a different perspective on screen was “long overdue”. “Many people are incredibly protective of Kelly’s legacy; however this is a preservation of what they perceive the truth to be,” he said. “But they are not prepared to listen to someone else’s story. “The families of the fallen police officers are recipients of decades of generational trauma and they have never had their chance to see their story on screen. “The Sydney Olympic ceremony featured Ned Kelly, how do you think the Kennedy, Lonigan, Scanlan and McIntyre families felt seeing that? ” he said. “They basically had to watch an effigy of the man who decimated their families being celebrated on the Olympic world stage. “We want to give them a chance to share their story.” Darren hoped the film would share perspectives audiences may not have heard. “I would tell Kelly sympathisers that we just want to start a conversation, that’s all,” he said. However Sara voiced a stronger message. “I would say to those who ignore the truth of history; we are coming for you.” Darren pictured with Leo Kennedy, the great-grandson of fallen Sergeant Michael Kennedy. A tightrope of accuracy and creativity Hollywood has long weathered criticism for their preference for embellishment over accuracy. Previous academy award recipient Greenbook and current box office epic Napoleon have been castigated for their sloppy grip on facts and critiqued for misrepresenting key historical events and figures. Darren and Sara were eager to balance their commitment to historical accuracy with room for creative flair. “I think overall we want the story to be as close to history as possible,” Sara said. “Of course we might take some creative liberties, especially with the presence of the Kennedy and Kelly matriarchs. “There also might be a clever reference to The Man from Snowy River which Mansfield audiences are going to love. “But overall everything including costumes, accents, haircuts and minute details are going to be as accurate as possible.” Darren and Sara have reached out to many families connected to the Stringybark shooting. The pair have met Leo Kennedy several times and have also scheduled meetings with the great-granddaughter of Thomas Lonigan and family members of Thomas McIntyre. However, they have not yet met Kelly’s decedents. “We want to tread carefully and be respectful and a meeting with Kelly’s side hasn’t happened yet,” Sara conceded. “That’s definitely not to say we wouldn’t be open to it.” However, the lack of Kelly input was not a large concern for Darren and Sara. “To use terminology from Lord of the Flies; the other side has had the conch for far too long,” Darren said. “They’ve had the megaphone for centuries and now it’s time to give the others a turn.”