ABC Children’s and Screen Australia have partnered on an exciting new funding program to showcase and amplify the work of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) Australian creatives and content makers. The Kaleidoscope Project will fund up to four individuals or teams to make a standalone film that reflects and captures what it’s like to be a young CaLD person in Australia. The initiative provides filmmakers with the opportunity to authentically tell their stories in partnership with national broadcaster ABC and Screen Australia. The films which will be made for 8-12 year-olds will be broadcast on ABC ME on Harmony Day in 2022. Harmony Day celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity.

“We treasure this opportunity to connect with Australia’s brightest emerging creatives and filmmakers and to help jettison their careers in the local and international sector. We are always impressed by the calibre of ideas and creativity, and the professional standard of the applications. The ABC ME audience wholeheartedly embraces these films which often challenge their understanding of the world, expand their minds and reflect their lives on screen. We are delighted to continue this legacy in partnership with Screen Australia.” Libbie Doherty, Head of ABC Children’s commented.




“It’s vital that Australian children are able to see themselves represented on screen, and we’re proud to team up again with ABC ME to support new creative voices through The Kaleidoscope Project. We’ve seen great success out of GIRLS and DisRupted, the previous initiatives from this partnership, including First Day which was produced into a four-part series this year. I can’t wait to see what exciting stories come through.” Nerida Moore, Head of Development at Screen Australia commented. Moore went on to explain that previous iterations of the partnership between Screen Australia and ABC Me also aimed to support story telling from and for underrepresented groups. Films from the International Day of the Girl and DisRupted initiatives have won numerous international and national awards, including the prestigious Prix Jeunesse Gender Equity Prize for First Day in 2018, the MIPCOM Diversify Award for Representation of Diversity in Kids Programming for First Day in 2018, and again for And Then Something Changed in 2020, and the creatives involved have gone on to have successful careers in the industry.
Doherty said that through this initiative Australian audiences will gain genuine insights into the lives and perspectives of young CaLD people as told by them, through comedies, dramas and/or documentaries. The Kaleidoscope Project will explore the varied and rich stories of Australian CaLD communities led by young CaLD creators.The Kaleidoscope Project will provide a career-changing opportunity for new and diverse talent in front and behind the camera. The authorship of each film is to be driven by a CaLD creative as either Writer, Producer and/or Director.

The successful applicants will be given up to $100,000 each to create a film of approximately 20 minutes duration. They may be mentored and partnered by experienced producers, and each receive editorial guidance from ABC Children’s and Screen Australia. Applications opened Monday 16 November. The initiative is open to CaLD creators aged 18 years and older. Applications will close on Monday 14 December 2020. The Kaleidoscope Project is set to premiere on ABC ME, the ABC ME app and ABC iview in March 2022 as part of Harmony Day.