About this Short Film
No description available for this film.
Film Details
Country:
Australia
State:
Victoria
Category:
Open Entrant Documentaries
Genre:
interview
Festival Year:
2026
Filmmaker:
Mirjana Gligorevic
Film Transcript
You mentioned about being humble as well, and I came from a very, very war-torn background. I feel a lot more accommodated now that I've moved. When I landed in Australia, it did feel like a whole new world. I had to adapt to a new language and things that were different, like the school systems and the playgrounds. It feels beautiful to come to a country of opportunities, in some ways at least. But I feel like we still have a fair bit to go in terms of workplace inclusion, because I have also heard, unfortunately, that disability discrimination is the part of discrimination that gets the least outrage.
I have a few family and I do have a few support workers of similar culture who also have a good understanding of my culture and can help me find a middle line when the time is right. Obviously, a lot of people would say, "I'm getting on a plane by myself and flying." You know, it was a little bit scary, but I managed. Returning to a familiar environment where I knew the language and where I had a good understanding of the culture and the people helped a lot. It helped me return to myself in a way.
I started on a plane from Melbourne and travelled all the way to Eastern Europe on a 24-hour flight, where I spent three weeks on the other side of the world, starting in Serbia through to North Macedonia, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia. After years of being marginalised, I decided to start my own project and release a book about my first solo travel. As you can see, we have my book and heart over here, and these are all the chapters I've done.
Teach me about the lowest point, if you'd like to talk about that. As we come to my lowest — we all have high highs and lows in life. My lowest was probably soon after COVID; my nervous system completely crashed. I was diagnosed with autism at the age of 15. I saw developmental clinicians, like a developmental psychologist and a speech therapist, and they were trying to train me out of autism. It had such devastating effects on my nervous system. I lost my brain-to-body connection. When I was in a park — sorry, I'm just trying to process. There is no pressure. It was a cold day and I decided to go to a park because the park relaxed me. I found a beautiful rock on the swing which had a peacock on it. I wish I brought the rock to show you now. It said, "Keep it or take it, do whatever you would like," and it inspired me to get into art.
Mirana is a lady who's been very humbled by her experience. She's a very open-minded, multifaceted person who can see through a variety of lenses, unique, and I believe that I have a lot to bring to this world. It just takes the right person to see it, and people to give me and other people with disability a good opportunity to reach our full potential. Sister — it's a good thing.
Filmmaker
Mirjana Gligorevic is the filmmaker behind this entry. See every Focus on Ability entry from Mirjana Gligorevic.
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