Agenda

JAN CATTONI (CQ University of Cairns)
STORYTELLING ON SHARED GROUND PILOT PROJECT

Abstract
The Storytelling on Shared Ground pilot project, led by documentary filmmaker/academic Axel Grigor of Dalarna University, Sweden, was an exercise in engagement between First Nations communities in Cooktown and Hopevale (Cape York, Northern Australia), documentary students and academics, to re- examine a shared historical encounter. The project was site-specific to where Captain James Cook landed his damaged ship, the Endeavour, in 1770 after striking an offshore reef. Cook unknowingly beached the vessel on the reconciliation grounds of the local Guugu Yimithirr peoples, where traditional law dictated that no blood could be shed, thus protecting Cook and his crew from potential harm. Swedish botanist Daniel Solander, aboard the Endeavour, spent 48 days documenting local plants, people, and interactions. Students and academics from Dalarna, CQUniversity (Cairns), and Griffith Film School (Brisbane) spent two weeks in Cooktown and Hopevale in June 2025, on the anniversary of Cook’s landing. Together, they worked with First Nations peoples, listening to their stories, learning from Cook and Solander's journals, and immersing themselves in the landscape. European participation was funded through Erasmus. This presentation examines the creative work and reflections of this contemporary experience and explores the possibility of similar projects with European partners.

Nota biografica
Jan Cattoni’s professional career spans the disciplines of filmmaker, academic and paediatric nurse and she has woven these into a kind of hybrid career in ethical filmmaking and co-creation. Jan is a creative practice researcher, and her research explores methodologies for applied filmmaking practices to address complex social and cultural issues. Jan has developed a replicable model of collaborative scripting that enshrines participant agency in character and narrative creation, with the model being applied in many different settings. Jan is currently a chief investigator on the ARC Discovery project, Future Stories, co- creating virtual worlds with young people in hospital. Jan currently teaches Screen Production at CQUniversity in Cairns and is an active member of local filmmaking community. At the heart of Jan’s work, is the belief that storytelling can change lives and that we all deserve to see our life experiences reflected back to us in the stories we consume.

Seminario valido per il tirocinio DEA/ACEL.
Coordinatrice: Franca Tamisari, tamisari@unive.it