THE SONG KEEPERS | Trailer

The Song Keepers
Australia | 85 minutes
Central Australia’s answer to The Buena Vista Social Club, The Songkeepers tells the uplifting story of women from the world’s oldest culture preserving some of the world’s oldest sacred songs, connecting Germany to Indigenous history in the process.
In the central desert region around Hermannsburg, west of Alice Springs, a hidden 140-year musical legacy of ancient Aboriginal languages and German baroque hymns is being preserved by four generations of song women who form the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir. Singing 14th-century Lutheran hymns - brought to the area by missionaries - in their own western Arrarnta and Pitjantjatjara tongues, the choir’s efforts to save these sacred songs are boosted by the arrival from Melbourne of a charismatic conductor who orchestrates a historic tour of Germany to bring the hymns back to their homeland.
With support from the MIFF Premiere Fund, award-winning filmmaker Naina Sen documented that tour, and its preparations, capturing the highs and lows as these remarkable women share their music and stories of cultural survival, identity and inclusive cross-cultural collaboration with the world. The resulting film is a joyous celebration that will world premiere at MIFF, with the full choir in attendance, who might just share a song or three!

[@MatjazKostrevc]

To all Aboriginal people, what a beautiful souls. 🙏❤️ Love to learn from you..Thank you so much🤗

[@timeofthesixthsun]

So beautiful to see these amazing beautiful women coming together in this way and what an extraordinary choir master. Beautiful film and thank you so much for sharing...

[@lydiaburth]

I am in awe of these australian indegenous women, keeping their history and culture alive, keeping their community strong. I am in awe of peoples visions and working on sharing the beauty of peoples lives.

[@allnations360]

Beautiful. Praise God.

[@sandothemando8924]

This looks like a fascinating subject! It's great to see Australian Indigenous culture being preserved in such an unlikely way.

[@oldwhippersnapper3]

Wonderful women (and two blokes).

[@brucefrost9104]

Looking forward to seeing this at the Narooma Kinema tonight

[@mohamedelabd6872]

wow

[@kerryroulston2868]

Wonderful. Where can I see this movie? Any upcoming screenings?

[@mkkrupp2462]

DVD?

[@DesertSongFestival]

:)