Castlemaine filmmaker Mitch Nivalis didn’t set out to make a feature documentary but when a creative project with the Mt Alexander Falcons women’s football team turned into something bigger, they found themselves documenting a fight for equality in sport — one that became the acclaimed feature-length film, Equal the Contest.
“I’d enrolled in a Masters in photography and was looking for a project that would allow me to use image-making to challenge gender roles and stereotypes,” Mitch said.
“I was open to the medium I’d use, but I was experimenting with GoPros so I could both train with the Falcons and document the experience at the same time.”
What started as an artistic exploration quickly turned into something much bigger.
The Falcons’ application to field a team in the local league was rejected — a decision that struck a nerve with Mitch. That rejection became the heart of a powerful documentary exploring gender discrimination in Australian Rules football.
At the time, though, Mitch was still finding their feet as a documentary filmmaker. That’s where LOCALS, the Castlemaine Documentary Festival’s showcase for regional filmmakers, played a crucial role. Hosted annually by the Castlemaine Documentary Festival, LOCALS is an exclusive program for filmmakers who live or work locally, or have a meaningful connection to central Victoria.
It provides a platform for both first-time and experienced filmmakers to share their work on the big screen.
For Mitch, submitting an early version of Equal the Contest to LOCALS was a pivotal moment.“Dipping my toe in the water with LOCALS was so great,” Mitch said. “It gave me a chance to test what I was making with a local audience, and it was really validating to see it up on the big screen.”
That screening put the work-in-progress film on the radar of festival director Claire Jager, who later selected the completed feature film for the 2023 festival.
“That really kicked things off for our release,” Mitch said.
“Having a sell-out hometown premiere for CDOC was one of the best moments of my life.”
Now, Mitch is in early development on a new feature-length documentary exploring the challenges faced by trans and gender-diverse athletes.
“There’s still so much work to do in this space,” Mitch said.
“I want to make a film that creates positive change.”
Submissions for LOCALS 2025 are now open, inviting filmmakers of all levels to submit films under six minutes in any style — whether observational, experimental, historical or personal. With prizes, industry support and a passionate local audience, it’s the perfect opportunity to tell your story.
As Mitch puts it: “Don’t think, just do. Find a topic you care about, because that will keep you going when things get hard. Accept that it won’t be perfect, you’ll make mistakes, but telling stories belongs to everyone.”
Equal the Contest is available to stream now on SBS On Demand. Submissions for LOCALS close May 23.
Visit cdocff.com.au for details.
