as a filmmaker I’m always drawn to stories about women and transformation
stories about women and transformation
stories about women and transformation so when I heard about a new program
so when I heard about a new program
so when I heard about a new program being launched in the Adelaide women’s
being launched in the Adelaide women’s
being launched in the Adelaide women’s prison where prisoners were signing up
prison where prisoners were signing up
prison where prisoners were signing up to foster retired greyhounds I just knew
to foster retired greyhounds I just knew
to foster retired greyhounds I just knew I have to get in there and make a film
I have to get in there and make a film
I have to get in there and make a film about it tonight
about it tonight
about it tonight I’m here with retired racers is steve-o
I’m here with retired racers is steve-o
I’m here with retired racers is steve-o and Rose steve-o and Rose were born into
and Rose steve-o and Rose were born into
and Rose steve-o and Rose were born into kennels never knowing the sights and
kennels never knowing the sights and
kennels never knowing the sights and sounds of life beyond the track they
sounds of life beyond the track they
sounds of life beyond the track they were trained only to chase
were trained only to chase
were trained only to chase so until recently they didn’t know their
so until recently they didn’t know their
so until recently they didn’t know their name how to take food from someone’s
name how to take food from someone’s
name how to take food from someone’s hand or even how to walk up steps the
hand or even how to walk up steps the
hand or even how to walk up steps the prisoners have just eight weeks to learn
prisoners have just eight weeks to learn
prisoners have just eight weeks to learn how to transform these institutionalized
how to transform these institutionalized
how to transform these institutionalized races into house friendly pets if the
races into house friendly pets if the
races into house friendly pets if the prisoners can’t make it work
prisoners can’t make it work
prisoners can’t make it work the dogs face an uncertain future and
the dogs face an uncertain future and
the dogs face an uncertain future and could even be euthanized I wanted to
could even be euthanized I wanted to
could even be euthanized I wanted to find out whether the women and the dogs
find out whether the women and the dogs
find out whether the women and the dogs could work together to create a second
could work together to create a second
could work together to create a second chance at life and to my surprise the
chance at life and to my surprise the
chance at life and to my surprise the Adelaide women’s prison said yes I could
Adelaide women’s prison said yes I could
Adelaide women’s prison said yes I could go into the prison alone with my camera
go into the prison alone with my camera
go into the prison alone with my camera for four months to follow the stories of
for four months to follow the stories of
for four months to follow the stories of four women and medics and that’s about
four women and medics and that’s about
four women and medics and that’s about the time I started to freak out I had
the time I started to freak out I had
the time I started to freak out I had just spent the last 12 months convincing
just spent the last 12 months convincing
just spent the last 12 months convincing everyone from the prison to the ABC to
everyone from the prison to the ABC to
everyone from the prison to the ABC to my husband that I could go into the
my husband that I could go into the
my husband that I could go into the prison and make this incredibly
prison and make this incredibly
prison and make this incredibly inspiring film where the women and the
inspiring film where the women and the
inspiring film where the women and the dogs fall in love what if I get in there
dogs fall in love what if I get in there
dogs fall in love what if I get in there and there’s just a bunch of women
and there’s just a bunch of women
and there’s just a bunch of women sitting around padding dogs and nothing
sitting around padding dogs and nothing
sitting around padding dogs and nothing happens and what if the prisoners don’t
happens and what if the prisoners don’t
happens and what if the prisoners don’t like me I don’t even have any tattoos
like me I don’t even have any tattoos
like me I don’t even have any tattoos Wow what do I know about prisons
Wow what do I know about prisons
Wow what do I know about prisons absolutely nothing my only frame of
absolutely nothing my only frame of
absolutely nothing my only frame of reference was orange is the new black
reference was orange is the new black
reference was orange is the new black and it was then I remembered I don’t
and it was then I remembered I don’t
and it was then I remembered I don’t even like dogs I only like Siamese cats
even like dogs I only like Siamese cats
even like dogs I only like Siamese cats and anyone who knows me knows that about
and anyone who knows me knows that about
and anyone who knows me knows that about me this could be a disaster but then I
me this could be a disaster but then I
me this could be a disaster but then I sucked up all my courage and went along
sucked up all my courage and went along
sucked up all my courage and went along for the first day of shoot and I met the
for the first day of shoot and I met the
for the first day of shoot and I met the prisoners and this changed everything
prisoners and this changed everything
prisoners and this changed everything there you go I’ve never really
there you go I’ve never really
there you go I’ve never really experienced unconditional love I think
experienced unconditional love I think
experienced unconditional love I think that’s why dogs are perfect because
that’s why dogs are perfect because
that’s why dogs are perfect because especially in here there’s some women
especially in here there’s some women
especially in here there’s some women and me included who’ve done some really
and me included who’ve done some really
and me included who’ve done some really bad things but we’re not bad people and
bad things but we’re not bad people and
bad things but we’re not bad people and the dog knows that we’re not bad people
the dog knows that we’re not bad people
the dog knows that we’re not bad people [Music]
class rice today was a selfish
class rice today was a selfish motherfucker and that’s a reflection of
motherfucker and that’s a reflection of
motherfucker and that’s a reflection of me as a mother being selfish to my kids
me as a mother being selfish to my kids
me as a mother being selfish to my kids I’ve got post-traumatic stress disorder
I’ve got post-traumatic stress disorder
I’ve got post-traumatic stress disorder from being in violent relationships pull
from being in violent relationships pull
from being in violent relationships pull our weight off the anchor I know my
our weight off the anchor I know my
our weight off the anchor I know my place in here I go out there and I just
place in here I go out there and I just
place in here I go out there and I just get lost and you know what am i a 60
get lost and you know what am i a 60
get lost and you know what am i a 60 year old junkie what would you’ve done
year old junkie what would you’ve done
year old junkie what would you’ve done differently if you had your chance
differently if you had your chance
differently if you had your chance I’ll return
I’ll return
I’ll return I have a ten-year-old daughter and I
I have a ten-year-old daughter and I
I have a ten-year-old daughter and I hope
hope
hope [Music]
I messed up in the outside and I won’t
I messed up in the outside and I won’t never the other payer back
[Music]
[Music] one of the most surprising things about
one of the most surprising things about
one of the most surprising things about making the film in the prism was that I
making the film in the prism was that I
making the film in the prism was that I really struggled to see the women in
really struggled to see the women in
really struggled to see the women in there as criminals yes they have lots of
there as criminals yes they have lots of
there as criminals yes they have lots of tattoos but to me they were kind funny
tattoos but to me they were kind funny
tattoos but to me they were kind funny smart honest articulate and they had
smart honest articulate and they had
smart honest articulate and they had incredible insight into themselves as
incredible insight into themselves as
incredible insight into themselves as their offending they welcomed me into
their offending they welcomed me into
their offending they welcomed me into their world and they trusted me with
their world and they trusted me with
their world and they trusted me with their stories I began to see their very
their stories I began to see their very
their stories I began to see their very unique position that I was in I wasn’t a
unique position that I was in I wasn’t a
unique position that I was in I wasn’t a social worker a lawyer or a correctional
social worker a lawyer or a correctional
social worker a lawyer or a correctional officer my only purpose for being there
officer my only purpose for being there
officer my only purpose for being there was to listen and my camera became a
was to listen and my camera became a
was to listen and my camera became a tool for giving them a voice on the
tool for giving them a voice on the
tool for giving them a voice on the first day of shoot a new prisoner joined
first day of shoot a new prisoner joined
first day of shoot a new prisoner joined up to the gray hat team
up to the gray hat team
up to the gray hat team her name was Deb she had a really fiery
her name was Deb she had a really fiery
her name was Deb she had a really fiery temper but a heart of gold and I liked
temper but a heart of gold and I liked
temper but a heart of gold and I liked to instantly Deb had spent a lot of time
to instantly Deb had spent a lot of time
to instantly Deb had spent a lot of time in prison in fact she called it her
in prison in fact she called it her
in prison in fact she called it her second home Deb told me how she would
second home Deb told me how she would
second home Deb told me how she would run away from home when she was just 13
run away from home when she was just 13
run away from home when she was just 13 to live on the streets she became a drug
to live on the streets she became a drug
to live on the streets she became a drug addict at 14 and a mother at 15 in the
addict at 14 and a mother at 15 in the
addict at 14 and a mother at 15 in the prison divin knew her place but on the
prison divin knew her place but on the
prison divin knew her place but on the outside she told me that she gets lost
outside she told me that she gets lost
outside she told me that she gets lost she was matched with Scotty he happened
she was matched with Scotty he happened
she was matched with Scotty he happened to be the most anxious dog in the
to be the most anxious dog in the
to be the most anxious dog in the program in the very beginning she
program in the very beginning she
program in the very beginning she couldn’t even persuade him to leave that
couldn’t even persuade him to leave that
couldn’t even persuade him to leave that cannot have to go for a walk like Deb
cannot have to go for a walk like Deb
cannot have to go for a walk like Deb Scotty was institutionalized and as they
Scotty was institutionalized and as they
Scotty was institutionalized and as they hit it off straight away over the next
hit it off straight away over the next
hit it off straight away over the next eight weeks
eight weeks
eight weeks I saw Deb flourish as a member of the
I saw Deb flourish as a member of the
I saw Deb flourish as a member of the grey hat team her typical day would
grey hat team her typical day would
grey hat team her typical day would involve getting up every day for morning
involve getting up every day for morning
involve getting up every day for morning count at eight am attending daily dog
count at eight am attending daily dog
count at eight am attending daily dog obedience classes training and walking
obedience classes training and walking
obedience classes training and walking Scottie and helping to manage an eight
Scottie and helping to manage an eight
Scottie and helping to manage an eight dog kennel house Deb was one of eight
dog kennel house Deb was one of eight
dog kennel house Deb was one of eight women who were in the gray hair team and
women who were in the gray hair team and
women who were in the gray hair team and they really did become a team they had
they really did become a team they had
they really did become a team they had each other’s back completely when it
each other’s back completely when it
each other’s back completely when it came to the program because they all had
came to the program because they all had
came to the program because they all had that common goal of making sure that
that common goal of making sure that
that common goal of making sure that their dog would
their dog would
their dog would the test prison has the capacity to
the test prison has the capacity to
the test prison has the capacity to harden people but seeing Devin’s gotti
harden people but seeing Devin’s gotti
harden people but seeing Devin’s gotti together
together
together dev became loving nurturing and
dev became loving nurturing and
dev became loving nurturing and protective all the things that she
protective all the things that she
protective all the things that she couldn’t be for her kids perhaps while
couldn’t be for her kids perhaps while
couldn’t be for her kids perhaps while being in jail Scotty gave Deb a new
being in jail Scotty gave Deb a new
being in jail Scotty gave Deb a new sense of purpose and self-confidence
sense of purpose and self-confidence
sense of purpose and self-confidence after the eight weeks of living and
after the eight weeks of living and
after the eight weeks of living and training together
training together
training together Scotty finally passed his big adoption
Scotty finally passed his big adoption
Scotty finally passed his big adoption tests I went to live with a loving
tests I went to live with a loving
tests I went to live with a loving family and Deb was released early from
family and Deb was released early from
family and Deb was released early from prison on home detention she was
prison on home detention she was
prison on home detention she was determined to start a new life for
determined to start a new life for
determined to start a new life for herself on the outside the prisoners and
herself on the outside the prisoners and
herself on the outside the prisoners and the dogs had worked together to create a
the dogs had worked together to create a
the dogs had worked together to create a second chance at life and my filming was
second chance at life and my filming was
second chance at life and my filming was complete I had the perfect ending or did
complete I had the perfect ending or did
complete I had the perfect ending or did I when I tell people I’ve been making a
I when I tell people I’ve been making a
I when I tell people I’ve been making a film in a women’s prison one of the
film in a women’s prison one of the
film in a women’s prison one of the first things I’ll say is I must have
first things I’ll say is I must have
first things I’ll say is I must have been so scary
been so scary
been so scary so confronting but the truth is the most
so confronting but the truth is the most
so confronting but the truth is the most confronting part about this whole
confronting part about this whole
confronting part about this whole process has been seeing the sorts of
process has been seeing the sorts of
process has been seeing the sorts of challenges these women are up against
challenges these women are up against
challenges these women are up against once they get out on the day that Deb
once they get out on the day that Deb
once they get out on the day that Deb was released from prison all that she
was released from prison all that she
was released from prison all that she had were the clothes on her back that
had were the clothes on her back that
had were the clothes on her back that she was arrested in which was a problem
she was arrested in which was a problem
she was arrested in which was a problem in itself because now they were two
in itself because now they were two
in itself because now they were two sizes too small
sizes too small
sizes too small going to jail meant that Deb lost her
going to jail meant that Deb lost her
going to jail meant that Deb lost her housing trust home and all of her
housing trust home and all of her
housing trust home and all of her possessions were dumped on the outside
possessions were dumped on the outside
possessions were dumped on the outside Deb has no job which means no reason to
Deb has no job which means no reason to
Deb has no job which means no reason to get up early no sense of purpose no
get up early no sense of purpose no
get up early no sense of purpose no structure routine and no income Deb has
structure routine and no income Deb has
structure routine and no income Deb has eight children but when she got out of
eight children but when she got out of
eight children but when she got out of prison they didn’t want anything to do
prison they didn’t want anything to do
prison they didn’t want anything to do with her because they were so angry
with her because they were so angry
with her because they were so angry about her going back to jail again Deb
about her going back to jail again Deb
about her going back to jail again Deb has a large community of friends on the
has a large community of friends on the
has a large community of friends on the outside but all of them are drug users
outside but all of them are drug users
outside but all of them are drug users so any form of a social life means being
so any form of a social life means being
so any form of a social life means being around drugs they’re very reason that
around drugs they’re very reason that
around drugs they’re very reason that Deb went to prison in the first
Deb went to prison in the first
Deb went to prison in the first place Deb had hoped to foster a
place Deb had hoped to foster a
place Deb had hoped to foster a greyhound on the outside because she
greyhound on the outside because she
greyhound on the outside because she loved the program so much but when she
loved the program so much but when she
loved the program so much but when she got out of prison and was placed in her
got out of prison and was placed in her
got out of prison and was placed in her support accommodation they didn’t have
support accommodation they didn’t have
support accommodation they didn’t have any fencing and they don’t allow dogs so
any fencing and they don’t allow dogs so
any fencing and they don’t allow dogs so these factors might help explain why Deb
these factors might help explain why Deb
these factors might help explain why Deb returned to the prison four times during
returned to the prison four times during
returned to the prison four times during her seven months of parole period and
her seven months of parole period and
her seven months of parole period and that’s when the real question of being a
that’s when the real question of being a
that’s when the real question of being a documentary filmmaker really kicks in
documentary filmmaker really kicks in
documentary filmmaker really kicks in once you uncover a serious social
once you uncover a serious social
once you uncover a serious social problem what sorts of responsibilities
problem what sorts of responsibilities
problem what sorts of responsibilities do you have to try to change it and now
do you have to try to change it and now
do you have to try to change it and now that I’ve developed these close
that I’ve developed these close
that I’ve developed these close relationships with the women in the film
relationships with the women in the film
relationships with the women in the film like Deb how can I best support them now
like Deb how can I best support them now
like Deb how can I best support them now that the cameras stopped rolling these
that the cameras stopped rolling these
that the cameras stopped rolling these are the questions I’m asking myself now
are the questions I’m asking myself now
are the questions I’m asking myself now and I’m only just starting to peel back
and I’m only just starting to peel back
and I’m only just starting to peel back the layers and search for answers but
the layers and search for answers but
the layers and search for answers but one thing certain I set out to make a
one thing certain I set out to make a
one thing certain I set out to make a film about women and transformation but
film about women and transformation but
film about women and transformation but it’s really me who’s been transformed by
it’s really me who’s been transformed by
it’s really me who’s been transformed by the experience of making the film and
the experience of making the film and
the experience of making the film and now I have this film and I’m determined
now I have this film and I’m determined
now I have this film and I’m determined to do all that I can with it to shine a
to do all that I can with it to shine a
to do all that I can with it to shine a light on the stories of these women from
light on the stories of these women from
light on the stories of these women from behind bars
behind bars
behind bars women like Deb have got incredible
women like Deb have got incredible
women like Deb have got incredible potential and could be a real asset and
potential and could be a real asset and
potential and could be a real asset and a resource to go out community if will
a resource to go out community if will
a resource to go out community if will let them the other piece of news I’d
let them the other piece of news I’d
let them the other piece of news I’d like to share is that Deb happens to be
like to share is that Deb happens to be
like to share is that Deb happens to be here with us tonight and next week I’ll
here with us tonight and next week I’ll
here with us tonight and next week I’ll be adopting my fostering actually in my
be adopting my fostering actually in my
be adopting my fostering actually in my first greyhound
first greyhound
first greyhound Billie thank you
Billie thank you
Billie thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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