My Bed Your Bed

Synopsis

In an isolated desert community, Della and Alvin are promised under the traditional laws of marriage. Their time has come. They move in together. One house, two swags, a guitar… no idea.

Director’s notes

“In making My Bed Your Bed, I set out to tell a story that reflected contemporary Aboriginal life in central Australian bush communities as it is today. Life in bush communities is so often over-romanticised in Australian film and television.

“In the communities I know, people adopt values from both contemporary and traditional worlds. In this film, though a young girl has been promised to a young man in a traditional ceremony that has taken place for thousands of years in the bush, when the time comes for them to live together, they move into a modern house. Both characters in the film have interest in contemporary music, and this is particularly a communication tool for the young man.

“In making My Bed Your Bed I also wanted to explore shyness, and the difficulty that two people have in communicating their desire for each other, and in carrying out the expectations that any marriage brings.”

Still image from My Bed Your Bed showing the Aboriginal girl among two old women. Photo: filmfestivalrotterdam.com