Kate Fenech is an impressive 15 year old student who’s found herself part of the extraordinary SS4C movement (the School Strikes for Climate), with growing passions for marine science and regenerative farming. I met her when we were both late conscripts to a premiere screening of Regenerating Australia in Busselton, WA, that ended up becoming a unique post-film dialogue.

The film’s director, Damon Gameau, was a late withdrawal, as was young activist and author, Bella Burgemeister. So Kate and I stepped into the breach, and that seemed to set up a vibe among the 75 or so people present of, ‘well I guess it’s just us!’ And to tell you the truth, for a while, I wondered if the whole thing was going to bomb. I’ve never hosted an event with an audience that was so pin-drop quiet. But that silence turned out to be more a measure of how much people were listening and contemplating, as just about everybody stayed, and we even drifted over time a little, for what became a frank, vital and ultimately wonderful community conversation.

3.45m - A short welcome from me

5.20m - A pre-recorded introduction to the film by Damon. (Damon actually came to feel that this was the most impactful part of the film tour, more than the film itself.) You can find the image Damon is talking to, on the episode webpage – that link’s in the show notes

10.35m - In conversation with Kate Fenech

22.15m - Our all-in dialogue starts

This conversation was recorded in the week leading up to Australia’s recent transformative federal election, at Orana Cinema in Busselton WA, on 16 May 2022.

Title slide image: Anthony James and Kate Fenech at the Orana Cinema in Busselton, WA (pic: Jennifer Seccull).

You can see more photos on the episode web page, including the image Damon talks to in introducing the film.

Music:
Regeneration, composed by Amelia Barden, from the soundtrack of the film Regenerating Australia.

Find more:
School Strike 4 Climate Australia.

Regenerating Australia is available for community screenings now (and grant applications, requests for materials etc.).

Community Independents Project.

You can hear my conversation with Jess Beckerling on the cessation of native logging in WA in episode 105.

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