NITV marks National Youth Week

NITV will mark National Youth Week, between 8-17 April, with several Indigenous youth titles screening.

Alongside three first-run documentaries there will be a dedicated online offering across the week.

Tanya Denning-Orman, NITV Channel Manager, says: “NITV recognises the importance of engaging our youth and their ability to adapt and make successful change. Our National Youth Week content gives our younger generation a voice, celebrates their achievements and acknowledges the uniqueness of their contribution to our communities.”

Bush to Belly (Wednesday 13 April, 7.30pm)
Narrated by Deborah Mailman, Bush to Belly is the life-affirming adventure of the ‘Bush to Belly Cafe’ in the Australian outback: serving the best coffee for hundreds of kilometres for adventurous, caffeine-loving cyclists on one of the gnarliest mountain bike rides on the planet – the 700 km Gibb Challenge. It follows the journey of a group of Indigenous kids from Yiyili, who take their Italian espresso machine on the Gibb River Rd, making coffees for 600 bike riders. Witnessing the highs and lows of mobile café life – bull dust, bikes and rich cultural exchange, it’s a story of engagement through laughter and lattes, that’s empowering one of the most remote communities on earth.

Cunnamulla Dreaming (Saturday 16 April, 7.30pm)
Cunnamulla Dreaming follows a group of students in the South West Queensland town, who unite to create a large-scale theatrical production for their small community. Using performing arts to celebrate their unique way of life, they also address the issues facing the community and share their dreams for the future. This heartfelt and optimistic documentary sees the youth of this remote Australian township bring the community together. The stage play is a celebration of five years of the theatrical workshops running in Cunnamulla by Project Manager and Creative Director of the program, Peter Cook, in partnership with local youth group, Eagle Edge Solutions and the Cunnamulla P-12 State School.

One Mob to CGEN (Sunday 17 April, 7.30pm)
Following on from last year’s Our Spirit to CGEN, One Mob to CGEN, follows a new crop of students from South East Queensland coming together to represent their culture, identity and stories through song and dance. Mentored by some of Australia’s finest dancers from the Bangarra Dance Theatre, the students create a dance based on a story from their Elders, representing rekindling and reconnection with their culture, their community and their people. Their symbolic journey culminates with a performance for thousands live on stage and for a national television audience as part of the Creative Generation – State Schools Onstage spectacular (CGEN), presented by the Queensland Government.