Born Lion frontman John Bowker is premiering his new documentary The Rockers – Rock Out at this year’s Focus on Ability Short Film Festival.
Bowker recruited filmmaker Brendan Blacklock to shoot the film, film focussing on Wollongong band The Rockers, which is comprised of members with an intellectual disability or autism.
The collaboration came about when Bowker, who works at Uniting Care as an Ability Linker, was planning to enter a film contest. The Rockers had previously played a Ability Links launch and the film bloomed from there.
Bowker also joined the band, found them a drummer, and together they recorded a CD. The Rockers have been together for over a decade now, and the film explores the different band members and how they create their music.
It also shows The Rockers as they create their first professionally recorded studio album in ‘Main Street Studios’ and the album launch at Wollongong’s ‘RAD bar’
It’s the 8th consecutive year the Focus on Ability Short Film Festival has run, aimed at raising awareness of the abilities of people with a disability. The winners will be announced in September.
