Charismatic changemaker, Rosemary Kariuki, is on a mission to empower migrant women, enticing them out of cultural silos, exposing them to new ideas, experiences and the wider Australian society – her means are anything but orthodox and laughter is her secret weapon
A more welcoming Australia?
If anyone can do it, she can.
Laughter is her secret weapon!
Watch trailer
A more welcoming Australia?
If anyone can do it, she can.
Laughter is her secret weapon!
About the Film
Rosemary’s Way celebrates the remarkable Rosemary Kariuki and the group of vulnerable migrant women of suburban Sydney whose lives she helps transform from isolation to connection. Rosemary is our vibrant host over the course of a year, as we witness her reaching out to isolated migrant women from cultures as diverse as Iraq, the Congo and Peru. Rosemary is our ebullient facilitator; but the key characters are the migrant women who are drawn into her wake, and the Anglo women who agree to host them in their communities. We are moved and inspired by the stories of the women as Rosemary coaxes them to participate in new adventures and share insights into other cultures formerly outside of their experience. We join in the women’s wonder at the beauty of the Australian bush, where they gather under the trees to be Welcomed to Country by an Indigenous elder. And we witness their gradual transformation, as they find their voices and confidence in this new country that is now their home.
Local hero
Rosemary Kariuki was awarded the Australian of the Year – Local Hero 2021 Award for her work advocating for migrant and refugee women.
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Press
“It’s the right time for this story about bridge building, connection and simple acts of kindness”
“Sublime and uplifting… a very intimate film brimming with secrets and untold emotions. It’s emotive and emotional, but never manipulative”
The Filmmakers
Writer/Director Ros Horin’s first documentary film, THE BAULKHAM HILL AFRICAN LADIES TROUPE, premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in 2016, followed by Melbourne International Film Festival, (top 5 audience favourites) at both festivals. It has screened on SBS television and NITV, had a theatrical release in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and screened at 18 International Film Festivals. It has been dubbed /translated into five languages, and had over fifty community screenings in Australia. She has just completed her second film, Rosemary’s Way as director/writer and co-producer.
Pat Fiske, Bower Bird Films, has directed and/or produced many award-winning documentaries and mentored many young filmmakers over the years. In 2001 she was awarded the prestigious Stanley Hawes Award for her outstanding contribution to the documentary industry in Australia and was Co-Head of Documentary at AFTRS from 2002-2008. Some of her films: Directing: Rocking the Foundations, For All the World to See, Australia Daze, An Artist in Eden, Larrikin Lad. Producing: Business Behind Bars, Selling Sickness, River of No Return, Scarlet Road, Love Marriage in Kabul, Oyster, Rosemary’s Way. At present she is producing When the Camera Stopped Rolling.
Andrew Arestides – multi-award-winning documentary editor with 30 years’ experience. Films include: Wedding in Ramallah, Dir: Sherine Salama, Winner AFI Award for Best Documentary; My Asian Heart, Dir: David Bradbury, Best editing ASE Award 2010; Fairweather Man, Dir: Aviva Zeigler; The Crater, Dir: David Bradbury; Constructing Australia – The Bridge, Dir: Simon Nasht, Winner Logie Best Doc, 1999; The Cars that Ate China, Dir: Stefan Moore, Finalist 2008 Dendy Awards; The Baulkham Hills African Ladies Troupe, Dir: Ros Horin; Monsieur Mayonnaise, Dir: Trevor Graham and most recently, Rosemary’s Way, Dir: Ros Horin and Chef Antonio’s Recipes for Revolution, Dir: Trevor Graham.
Kathryn is a Sydney based producer/director/cinematographer/film educator. She has shot feature documentaries including the award winning She Who Must be Loved, Forbidden Lie$ and My America, feature films including John Duigan’s Careless Love and Cherie Nowlan’s Thank God He Met Lizzie and many TV drama and documentary series including the upcoming season of Filthy Rich and Homeless.
Filmmaker and DOP, Carolyn Constantine ACS began her career in Sydney solidifying her reputation with notable work as DOP on films by emerging Australian directors such as Cate Shortland, Pentuphouse (Kodak & Dendy Award winner) and Somersault (2nd Unit DOP and director). Carolyn has numerous TV drama operating and DOP credits (Wildside, Young Lions, Headstart, All Saints, Rake, Please like Me, Headland, Janet King, Pulse and The Secret She Keeps) and has lensed a number of high profile documentaries including Yoko Ono: War is Over, Yajilarra, Tristan’s Story, Wide Open Sky which won the audience award for best documentary at SFF 2015 and Madhattan, her own first long form film as Director and Cinematographer.
Leo Sullivan has for many, many years recorded sound for documentaries in Australia. He has been nominated for several awards and received an AFI award and an Australian Screen Sound Guild award for the film Vietnam Symphony.
