Inquisitive locals drawn to these bright lights quickly learned that this commotion was all about an exciting drama series called Redfern Now which will go to air on ABC TV every Thursday night starting in November.
Many became even more excited when they heard that the much-admired English director Jimmy McGovern was involved. McGovern is highly regarded for television drama of the highest quality. His honest, insightful and gritty stories in series such as The Street, Cracker and The Lakes are renowned for their absorbing and rich stories filled with both warmth and despair. With McGovern working closely with the scriptwriters as Story Producer, the series tells the powerful stories of six inner-city households whose lives are changed by a seemingly insignificant incident.
The project was conceived only two years ago, acclaimed producer Darren Dale (The First Australians, The Tall Man and Mabo), collaborating with a talented team of Indigenous writers and directors. Dale was able to draw together what he describes as “a roll call of great Indigenous actors” to star in the six episodes including Deborah Mailman, Leah Purcell, Luke Carroll and Wayne Blair. He was also excited by the unearthing of a new talent, 17 year-old Aaron McGrath, who stars in episode four. “He’s a local Redfern kid who we discovered when casting. We thought ‘this kid looks great’ and he was fantastic.”
Dale has been keen to make a story that features Redfern for some time and regards Redfern itself as a “main character” in the series. “We wanted to make a series that was both urban and contemporary. Redfern is such an iconic place for blackfellas and the wider community. You get to see the landmarks, the streets and the people,” he says. He acknowledged the involvement of the Redfern community in the development and filming of the series with many local identities and children featuring as extras throughout the episodes.
If the enthusiastic and positive response to Redfern Now by Redfern locals attending its world premiere at The Block and the praise of critics in the media are anything to go by, this is a series that should not be missed.
