In conversation with Ivan Sen

This article is an edited transcript of The Films of Ivan Sen symposium, convened and chaired by Susan Thwaites at University of Canberra on 10 July 2015. Ivan Sen is an important figure in what has been called the Blak Wave in Australian cinema — the rise over the last few decades of a growing number of talented Indigenous filmmakers who are redefining long-held conceptions about Australian cinema. Since his first feature, Beneath Clouds (2002), Sen’s films have won numerous awards, nationally and internationally, and received widespread critical acclaim. The symposium was a rare opportunity for an in-depth discussion with Sen about his film-making process and aspirations. At the time of the symposium, Goldstone (2016) was in post-production and Sen was working on the screenplay for his planned feature, Loveland. To open the symposium, Susan Thwaites begins by picking up threads from an earlier conversation she had with Sen.