Back to Sessions

INDIGENOUS CREATORS PROGRAM: THE COLLEANO HEART WITH PAULINE CLAGUE

Indigenous A documentary exploring a circus family’s hidden legacy unfolds as descendants reunite across continents, uncovering their Aboriginal ancestry, global stardom and the extraordinary secrets they kept in order to survive. Director Pauline Clague will share her expertise on the making of The Colleano Heart.



First Nations practitioners only.

In this session, director Pauline Clague takes audiences inside the making of The Colleano Heart, offering an intimate and practical exploration of how the film was shaped. Drawing on decades of archival material, family records and personal testimony, the discussion will unpack the creative and ethical challenges of working with archives, reconstructing silenced histories and editing a story that spans generations, borders and identities.

Delving into complex themes of identity, cultural erasure and survival, Pauline will share how the film navigates political and historical tensions while remaining grounded in deeply personal storytelling.

Combining craft insight with personal reflection, this conversation also offers a rare look at documentary editing as an act of discovery: finding story in fragments, honouring lived experience, and shaping a narrative where history, memory and identity collide.

First Nations practitioners only.

 

Image Credit: The Colleano Heart (Wildbear Entertainment, 2025)

 

The Indigenous Creators Program is proudly supported by Indigenous Business Australia.

Session

  • Speaker

    Pauline Clague

  • Session Producer

    Laurrie Mansfield, Devina Mcpherson