A documentary on ‘Chenda’

‘Chenda’, a documentary film on the subcontinental percussion instrument with the same name, was commissioned by Blacktown city council as part of its autumn-winter festival, Magnify. The film was premiered in early June by the council at Sydney’s only drive-in cinema, Skyline cinemas, in Blacktown. A private screening was then organised for invited guests and community leaders in July, where a round table forum was also conducted, focusing on the story of the instrument in Australia, the musicians involved, and migrant storytelling in general.

The film ‘Chenda, finds home in Sydney’ unfolds the story of how the drum integrates into the multicultural space within the city, giving a collective identity to a group of talented musicians in suburban Sydney. These musicians are part of the ‘IndOz Rhythms group’ which is stepping into their 10th year of existence, with around 150 performances behind them in Sydney and the surrounding regional towns and cities.

Why Chenda? The writer and director of the film, Emie Roy remarked “When I was considering a subject for the film, I felt that the story of this drum and the group of musicians has to be documented, as part of the history of the place we live in. Just like Chenda that is suited to the tropical climate had to gradually be acclimatised to Australia, the musicians and their families assimilated to the country, and rediscovered themselves as a community, by virtue of practising the drum over the years. Their steady commitment, passion towards music and culture and the legacy they live is fascinating”.