Interview: Brenda Matthews

Brenda Matthews.

Brenda Matthews’ first memories were of growing up in a loving white foster family, before she was suddenly taken away and returned to her Aboriginal family.

Decades later, she feels disconnected from both halves of her life. But the traumas of her past do not lie quietly buried. So, she goes searching for the foster family with whom she had lost all contact.

Along the way she uncovers long-buried secrets, government lies, and the possibility for deeper connections to family and culture.

The Last Daughter is a powerful and inspiring documentary about Brenda’s journey to unearth the truth in her past, and reconcile the two sides of her family.

In this interview, Brenda shares her experiences making this powerful, unforgettable documentary which is already one of the best films of year so far.

Brenda Matthews with husband Mark.

“Sometimes we’re afraid of our own stories and we don’t want to go back through the hurt and the pain to try to understand our story. I think sometimes we have to go back to find that healing and to find a way forward for us as individuals.”

Interview by Matthew Eeles

To what extent has this journey been a healing experience for you? Has it helped alleviate some of the pain you’ve carried throughout your life?

Oh, yes. It certainly has. Finding a place and a belonging within both sides, in both worlds, in both families, and being a part of all of that has helped me to heal and to understand my story. Sometimes we’re afraid of our own stories and we don’t want to go back through the hurt and the pain to try to understand our story. I think sometimes we have to go back to find that healing and to find a way forward for us as individuals.

Your husband Mark plays a huge part in this film, and in your story. What did it mean to you to have Mark’s support along the way?

It was awesome. He’s been such a wonderful Banaam, which means younger brother, stronger brother. It’s a support system. Being able to lean back on that support system and have him follow me wherever I go and support me emotionally and physically in the space where I thought I might struggle. It really does help a lot when you’ve got a wonderful support system that helps you along the way.

Is Mark still a part of this film’s journey in terms of Q&A screenings and public appearances?

Mark’s always there. [Laughs]. He’s always in the background yelling out and getting everybody’s attention. [Laughs]. Mark has been a part of this story for a few years now. So he’s had that experience. I think all of this has come very natural to Mark. Again, he provided me with that wonderful support system because I didn’t know what I was stepping into.

You’re credited as a co-director on The Last Daughter. Why did you decide to take on that role?

I decided to say yes when Nathaniel Schmidt asked me to co-direct with him. How could I say no to that? In the beginning I was a bit scared because I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Nathaniel has been another huge support system for me, supporting me along the way when I didn’t know what that directing space looked like. It was awesome. I’m so thankful that he did ask me to co-direct with him because it has been a huge learning experience for me.

What’s involved as a co-director?

Mainly to ensure the story was shared the right way. It was so important for me to share this story and to tell it truth-by-truth which was so important for me and my families on both sides so that justice could be found.

You seem to have a very close relationship with Nathaniel. Did you know right away that Nathaniel was the right person to help tell your story?

I think so. Nathaniel actually became my son. I adopted him as my son. Making this film was like a mother and son relationship, being able to talk to each other when we didn’t feel like something was right, or that we didn’t get something right. When asking questions when I didn’t understand everything, he helped me to understand that space. So that was so important. Nathaniel taught me so much about filmmaking along the way. I just can’t believe how many people there are involved in the filmmaking process. [Laughs].

It really is endless, isn’t it?

It was so endless. I just thought it was me and Nathaniel and a camera. [Laughs]. But beyond that, there were so many more people. I’m so grateful that they were a part of that journey with me.

Nathaniel Schmidt and Brenda Matthews on the set of The Last Daughter.

Were you a part of those incredible reenactment scenes?

I was a storyteller in that space. I was sharing the story and how it would go and Nathaniel and the other fellows were the ones calling action. Nathaniel and cinematographer Miles Rowland were really good because they had the experience. But I was there telling them how everything played out in real life so they could capture an authenticity.

The children actors in these reenactment scenes are really impressive.

I’m glad you said that. They were awesome. And they really loved being a part of it. I loved it. I loved watching them recreate those scenes because I was so young when I was taken, I was only two. So to be able to watch them reenact our story was so wonderful.

Tell us about working with these kids, because sometimes it can be a challenge to work with younger people.

All kids muck up when they’re so young, and they don’t want to listen. They just wanna do their own thing. But from my experience, I’ve got five children of my own, plus Mark’s got four. So we’re a big family put together, and I’ve got four grandchildren. So having so much experience with of all these children helped me to understand that space and to get the best out of the kids in the film. You just have to love them in that space, whether they’re mucking up or not, you have to love them and show support. It was also important for them to know that we had a story to tell, and that we’re going to tell it because these children are most important to the story because they’re the next generation.

Were the children cast individually, or were they family members?

A few were cast and a few were family members. It was so good to have them there because they all got along with each other. I think it was so important to have that balance between cast and family and to have all of them all getting along. It worked out so well because it looks like a family on screen.

Kevin Rudd’s apology to Australia’s Indigenous Peoples is touched on in this film. As someone who was directly impacted by this, what did Rudd’s apology mean to you at the time?

At the time I just hoped that it wouldn’t be another false or fake apology. I think something like that is a learning journey for everyone. We all learn something new every day, and we don’t always get our actions right. I think things are starting to fall into place, and films like The Last Daughter, and other films, help share the truth about what Kevin was apologising for. Hopefully people will want to listen to the truth and not be scared of the truth anymore. We all need safe spaces like film to share our stories, and we need to share them truthfully and share our lived experiences in a truthful way. They shouldn’t be shared in hate, or anger, or frustration. If we share truth, then we can acknowledge the traumas of the past and find a way forward together.

Sticking with politics for a moment, are you aware of plans to have the Stolen Generation compensation scheme extended beyond 1969? Because surely your story proves that it needs to be.

The scheme needs to be extended, yes. And as they say, the proof is in the pudding. I’ve put the proof there for everyone to see. It still is happening, but its just been put under different acts and different headings and legislations. I think sharing truth, and wanting to listen to truth, we can start humbling ourselves that we may find a space for each other to be treated fairly. That needs to come from the heart.

Now that you’ve had this experience co-directing a film, are you keen to direct more, and to tell more stories similar to yours through film?

I hope that’s the case. I’d like to direct more. I have an idea for something that I’d like to tell on film. I’m hoping that things will start falling into place and that I’ll be able to share more on that new film soon. I never dreamed that I’d be making movies one day, and that I’d be adding filmmaker to my resume. I love watching films, but before this I had no idea about making them.

How’s Nana Brenda?

She’s been a big part of it. She’s come to some festivals with us in Queensland and Adelaide and Sydney. She’s amazing. She’s a strong woman and she just keeps wanting more and more to share it with people and for people to hear about it. She loves this movie. It has been a cathartic experience for her. For a long time she didn’t speak about this because it was too hurtful for her watching all her kids being taken away. So to be able to share truth and share that with so many people who want to listen to her story has reconfirmed for her that she wasn’t a neglectful mother and that she did look after her children.

The Last Daughter is in cinemas now.