This innovative program offers survivors a supportive environment to process their memories, reclaim their physical selves, and envision new possibilities for their futures. The documentary not only breaks down stereotypes but also shines a light on the incredible resilience and strength of those who have survived domestic violence and sexual assault.
We spoke with Shannon Owen, Bank Australia customer and the director behind the compelling, award-winning documentary, to find out more.
How did you first find out about Donna Lyon and the Left Write Hook program, and what drew you to this project as a filmmaker?
Donna and I both work at the VCA Film School and it was really a corridor conversation one day where Donna was telling me about a very early grass roots iteration of this writing and boxing program she was running. She invited me down to the gym to observe one of the sessions. I have a martial arts practice and had previously worked with victim survivors as a domestic violence support worker and love a ‘fighting film’ so I was immediately intrigued. I have very visceral memories of that first day in the gym and the remarkable shift in energies that took place across the session - from an incredible raw vulnerability to this empowered strength and exhaustion. It was pretty incredible so we began developing the project fairly immediately. I really wanted to see how that emotional space could be translated through a documentary film and challenge any stereotypical ideas about what it means to be a survivor of childhood sexual assault.
Left Write Hook is quite an emotionally raw documentary, with a lot of vulnerability depicted – both in terms of the painful memories that are discussed and the intense physicality of the boxing lessons and what they bring up for the participants. What were the biggest challenges for you in capturing all this?
Making films like this takes time and it is about building relationships. Ultimately I feel incredibly privileged to have been on the journey with this amazing group of people. It’s not to say that working with trauma narratives doesn’t come with risks. Vicarious trauma is real, and I had times when I had to grapple with this, however I drew strength from the participants themselves and was supported by an incredible production team at Sweetshop & Green who were all very committed to the trauma informed ethos of the project. And I wanted the film itself to strike this balance – not shying away from the complexity of the participants experiences but to also celebrate their strength and resilience, which for me is pretty inspirational.
There are moments when we’re made aware of the construction of the film: one sequence pulls back to show us the camera crew recording Nikki in the car; while Dove on a couple of occasions refers to the presence of the cameras as a part of her healing journey. To what extent did you feel it was important to remind viewers that all of this is being filmed, as opposed to adhering to more traditional, fly-on-the-wall approaches to observational documentary?
I am very interested in how the practice of documentary filmmaking can contribute to social impact during the making of a film. Social impact is often talked about at the distribution end of a project, but I believe taking an ethically engaged documentary camera into a space opens up incredible opportunities for aspirational change. For me this happens in dialogue with participants and in Left Write Hook it was important that the audience understood that the participants had agency in how their stories were being told. So I think these moment speak to these ideas.
The film has resonated in a big way with viewers, jointly winning the Audience Award at MIFF 2024 with another Australian documentary, Voice. What was it like screening the film at the festival, and has the audience response surprised you at all?
I have to say that our MIFF premiere season exceeded all expectations. I knew the film was good and would be well received by certain audiences, however I was not prepared for the overwhelming celebration of the film. And this has been a real thrill because although the film deals with very complex and challenging issue of childhood sexual abuse it is a film that is ultimately triumphant. We got a number of standing ovations and then the audience award, so this was very affirming for not only me but the participants, most of whom participated in the Q&A screenings across the festival. These Q&A’s were very special for us and the audiences, and are an amazing way to share the film.
As artists, we’re obliged to think about ethics and values not just in terms of our own work but also how we move in the world beyond that – for instance, the choices we make as consumers. Can you talk a little about why you decided to join up with Bank Australia as a customer, and if this speaks to the values that motivate your filmmaking practice?
It's really hard as a consumer to make ethical choices all the time. Globalised capitalism is everywhere, the cost of living means we can’t always afford the most ethical options, so for me switching to Bank Australia was a fairly straightforward way of putting my money where my mouth was so to speak. No one gets it right all the time but with Bank Australia I know that the company I bank with is deeply engaged with ethical implications of the finance industry and the movement of money. This seems pretty rare. Banking with Bank Australia means my everyday transactions are ethically accounted for and in some small way are making a contribution to a more equitable and sustainable planet. At its essence, these same motivations are what drives my work as a filmmaker.
What’s next for Left Write Hook in terms of international distribution, and do you have any other documentary projects in the works?
Right now we are in full swing with the distribution of Left Write Hook which launches in cinemas across the country this week. The first week of a release determines how long we last, so if you are interested I encourage you to check out our website for a screening.
https://leftwritehook.film/watch-the-film
I have another project in early development which explores women’s leadership and legacy amidst the climate crisis, which I’m hoping to be able to speak about in more detail soon. And of course I have the pleasure of working with masters students at the Victorian College of Arts, Film & Television discipline. These students are the ones to watch as our next generation of filmmakers so this is a pretty great day job.
