Karenza Ebejer is a socially engaged filmmaker and educator whose practice spans across video, installation, writing and somatic movement. With a background as an award-winning short documentary director, she has two decades of experience working in partnership with a range of communities and individuals.  Her film work often incorporates hybrid styles including performance and music collaborations.  She has a passion for finding unique human-centred stories and bringing them to screen for both online and face-to-face audiences.

Karenza had a unique upbringing in a multicultural, Indian-based yoga community which gave her insight into cultures from around the world.    Her work stems from a curiousity of spirituality, care for the planet and community engagement. Themes in her films include finding creativity, connection to nature and diverse human experience. She is a sensitive and pragmatic filmmaker who has a talent for making people feel safe and comfortable to share story.  She feels that stories of community and individual resilience are critical at this time for the future of the planet.

Working primarily in factual content creation for the past 20 years, Karenza has been commissioned by community, educational and government organisations across regional and urban environments on a range of social and humanitarian topics. More recently, her work with First Nations organisations and artists has led to some innovative collaborations. In 2023 she directed two documentaries in partnership with First Nations creative producers and crew.  These were launched as site specific works alongside a cultural program.

With some of her short documentary work funded through Create NSW, Lismore Regional Gallery and ABC iView, she has proven to be an emerging regional talent. Following the success of two short award winning documentaries for the Createability series in 2017 and 2018, she was chosen to take part in a Director’s Pathway Program supported by Screenworks and the Australian Director’s Guild.

In 2023 she was selected for a year long residency as part of the CASE Incubator led by The Cad Factory in Sydney on socially engaged art practice.  This has led to co-writing a manual on socially engaged art with other participants from the residency.

Aside from her own practice, Karenza is a film mentor and educator for community, youth and disability groups and brings years of facilitation experience to the role.  She also works as a casual teacher in the Screen and Media department at TAFE NSW.

RESUME

PROFILE

Karenza is a socially engaged filmmaker, media artist, event producer and screen educator based on Widjabul-Wia-bul land in Bundjalung Country. She is also a qualified yoga instructor and mother.

EMPLOYMENT

  • Teacher, Screen and Media, TAFE NSW, Lismore & Byron — 2020 - present Teaching a range of video production skills to students including camera techniques, interviewing, audio, lighting and editing.

  • Screenworks, Production Co-ordinator- Ballina, 2019-2020 Coordinator and EP for “Go Viral” a short film initiative co funded by Screen NSW. Developing and writing a training manual and delivering training to members of the Auslan/ deaf community in Northern Rivers.

  • Video Editor, Psychwire - Byron Bay — 2017 Editing a series of training videos for a psychology firm.

EDUCATION

  • University of Melbourne — Bachelor of Arts, 1993

  • Queensland University of Technology - Post Graduate Diploma Film & TV, 2002

FILMS & ARTWORKS

  • 2024 DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR “EcoSphere” Art film installation commissioned by Lismore Regional Gallery as part of an ecological exhibition and workshop series called “Grounded” featuring work by myself and creative collaborator, Mitch King [Widjabul-Wiabul/ Yaegl]

  • 2024 PHOTOGRAPHER “Bundjalung Elders Portrait Series” commissioned by Lismore Regional Gallery as part of an ecological exhibition and workshop series called “Grounded”

  • 2024 DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR “Post-Diluvian Life” a performance film for installation with Wojak.

  • 2024 DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR “Rest Lab - A Bush Immersion” event film commissioned by Paul Walker for the Critical Pathways residency

  • 2024 DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR “Tabulam - Trail of Light” event doc commissioned by Real ArtWorks, Arts Northern Rivers, Regional Arts Fund

  • 2023 CO-PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR “Rising Up - Inspiring Stories of Community Resilience” documentary commissioned by Department of Communities and Justice, NSW Government

  • 2023 CO-PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR “Coming Home - Stories of Banjalang Elders”, commissioned by The Jarjum Centre, YWCA and SNAIIC

  • 2022/23 DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR “Our Place, Our Species” - a documentary commissioned by Inspiring Australia and Lismore Quad to showcase First Nations knowledge of local plants.

  • 2020 PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR "Steps in the Portal" - a film on mindful walking made on residency with Lismore Regional Gallery during Covid lockdowns.

  • 2018 PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR "Remembering Cabbage Tree" - a portrait of Bundjalung artist Digby Moran for his final exhibition, installed in the Lismore Regional Gallery

  • 2017 PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR “Making Waves” short doc - Createability series, ABC iView

  • 2016 PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ CAMERA/ EDITOR “Ajde Da Igrame” [“Let’s Dance”] - Music Documentary on a Romanigypsy music tour to Australia,

  • 2016 PRODUCER/ DIRECTOR/ EDITOR “Tilly’s Symphony” Createability Series for ABC iView

AWARDS

2002 - “On Cue” - Runner-Up - Short film event, Brisbane International Film Festival

2002 - “On Cue” - “Best Script” PFTC New Filmmakers Award

2017 - “Tilly’s Symphony” - Judges Choice - “Best Documentary” Focus on Ability Film Festival

2018 - “Making Waves” - Judges Choice - Best Documentary - Byron All Shorts Film Festival

RESIDENCIES

  • 2020 - “TOGETHER ALONE” Lismore Regional Gallery, Lismore Quadrangle, Lismore

  • 2023 - “CASE INCUBATOR” for Socially Engaged Artists, THE CAD FACTORY, Sydney

  • 2024 - “CONVERGE” Arts Studio, Lismore City Council, Lismore