Indigenous documentary to premiere this weekend closing the gap between local communities and the authorities

An all-new documentary is set to give a behind-the-scenes look into Western Australia’s most challenging law enforcement, through the eyes of its newest recruits.

Our Law will have it’s world premiere at CinefestOZ this Saturday night, telling the story of First Nations officers and cadets attempting to change the system from within.

For the past 12 months, cameras have followed the 2021 class of First Nations WA police cadets through their gruelling training and policing journey in their commitment to improving the force’s relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Featured in the series is Waroona’s Const. Tiarna Eades, who hopes the documentary will bring awareness of the issue at hand.

“I don’t think there is enough out there to show we are proactively trying and I think this is a good way to show what we do,” she said.

“I think front-line police officers are part of the solution to getting out of this cycle of incarceration and profiling of Aboriginal people.”

The six-part mini-series directed by Perun Bonser will reveal candid perspectives of First Nations leaders and communities that are being policed, in what is described as a “ground-breaking, timely, and critically important” exploration of First Nations-police relations in Australia.

The powerful documentary was inspired by former police commissioner Chris Dawson’s apology to Aboriginal people in July 2018, with WA Police developing an opportunity to partner with local production companies to produce the upcoming series.

To celebrate the release, 20 Indigenous police cadets and recruits will attend the screening, and will attend a recruitment stall at the festival’s IndigifestOZ at Origins Markets.

The team will also host a recruitment information session at Busselton Community Resource centre on Friday night commencing from 5.30pm. Anyone interested in a policing career is invited to come and speak to the team.

The screening will take place at Busselton’s Esplanade Hotel on Saturday August 27 at 7pm with tickets available at https://tix.cinefestoz.com/Events/Our-Law-Season-1.