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BLACK HOLE

Coal, Corruption and community resistance of one of Australia’s most controversial mining projects – Whitehaven’s Maules Creek Coal Mine in the Leard State Forest.

The stage has been set for one of the most intriguing David and Goliath battles in this country’s history. Black Hole is the story of the fight to save the Leard State Forest from one of the most controversial coal mining projects in Australia – Whitehaven’s Maules Creek Coal Mine.

Set against the backdrop of the mining industry’s ever-increasing thirst for fossil fuels, Black Hole is an intense and riveting exposé of the tensions between large corporations, the Australian government and the community.

In this revealing world premiere, Director João Dujon Pereira asks us to examine the future of coal, corporate responsibility and the rights governments afford to people vs polluters.

  • Joao Dujon Pereira (Dujon)
    Director
    La Segunda Conquista (The Second Conquest)
  • Joao Dujon Pereira (Dujon)
    Producer
    La Segunda Conquista (The Second Conquest)
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 44 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    August 30, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    100,000 AUD
  • Country of Origin:
    Australia
  • Country of Filming:
    Australia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Environmental Film Festival Australia (Melbourne)
    Melbourne, Australia
    September 3, 2015
    World Premiere - Opening Night
  • Environmental Film Festival Australia (Canberra)
    Canberra, Australia
    September 11, 2015
  • Independent TUGG Cinema Release (Australia)
    Various Locations
  • ScreenWave International Film Festival
    Australia
    January 10, 2016
  • CrossRoads Documentary Film Festival
    Austria
    April 10, 2016
    European Premiere
  • Singapore World International Film Festival
    Singapore
    April 10, 2016
    Asia Premiere
Director Biography - Joao Dujon Pereira (Dujon)

Dujon is a Melbourne based filmmaker. As well as freelancing as a cinematographer and editor, Dujon has produced and directed a number of documentaries, including his first feature documentary La Segunda Conquista filmed in Argentina in 2006. He has also created a range of other media content including shortdocumentaries, music videos and short films under Optical Alkemi.

Many of Dujon's personal productions have had distinct leanings toward environmental, arts and human _focused pieces. Black Hole is the most ambitious project to date for Dujon. A
fully independent production, it has presented a multitude of challenges, but has also provided insight into one of the most significant issues in Australia's history.

A sixteen month journey from inception, Black Hole has taken him on a remarkable adventure into the inner workings of the political and corporate structures at work within Australia. Dujon went to great length to capture all opinions and views surrounding the Maules Creek coalmine project. Unfortunately, there were people in the community including mine workers who were not prepared to speak on camera.

For him, this is not an anti mining film, from the outset his vision was to engage human emotion. During filming, Dujon was embedded on the frontline in the groundswell of opposition from the community far and wide at Maules Creek, Leard State Forest. This has left an indelible mark on him as a filmmaker, citizen and ultimately a human being.

His passion for storytelling through film increases each day. The ability to entertain, educate and emotionally touch a person is addictive, and it is certainly an addiction he will happily carry for the rest of his days.

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Director Statement

The initial concept was to create a film that would have the traditional elements of
raw observational documentary, but to also create a cinematic experience. From the
outset my vision has been to engage the emotion that makes us human. I have seen the
rawness, but also the softness of the human spirit and by capturing these moments
observationally. With the more intimate conversations it has allowed me the opportunity
to take the audience on a journey into a world which is often hidden from society.

It was a clear choice early on that I wanted to be as stand alone as possible and
not serve the agenda of any persons or organisations. I really wanted to be open to tell
both sides of the story, so I never approached either the environmental organisations or
the extractive industry for funding. I applied to quite a number of national and international funding bodies, but filmmaking is a competitive business and there are many compelling stories to be told. I had promising interest but unfortunately I was unable to secure any financing. So the rest of the budget was self financed with personal savings and loans.