Award nomination for Professor McGrath

School of History Director, Professor Ann McGrath, has been shortlisted for an Atom Award for the full-length film Message from Mungo. The Atom Awards recognise film and media excellence in screen content from the education sector and screen industry professionals across Australia and New Zealand.

Professor McGrath is co-director and producer of the movie, and is excited to have received the nomination.

“We started the project in 2006—so it’s been eight years in the making, and it’s really exciting to receive this acknowledgement," says Professor McGrath.

"The nomination shows the recognition of the research and a wider appreciation of the subject, and recognises the sharing of knowledge between the scientists and the Indigenous people; both of whom opened their hearts to tell the story.”

Message from Mungo focuses on the last 40 years of the Lake Mungo region in south-western New South Wales, and one the world’s richest archaeological sites.

The movie explores the sometimes troubled and conflicting relationship between the scientists, and the Indigenous community and traditional owners of the land, and in particular on ‘Mungo Lady’ the remains of a young woman that were discovered in 1968 and which are thought to be over 40,000 years old, and who had been given the formal ritual of cremation.

In 1992, after over two decades of consultation, the remains were finally handed back to the Indigenous custodians.

Message from Mungo will have a limited release screening at the Palace Electric Cinema, New Acton, on Friday 19 September at 6.30pm and Sunday 21 September at 1pm.