A year on from its release, and with a slew of awards and nominations to its name, Willetton director Jaginder Singh is bringing back his epic semi-autobiographical story, Eleven Days to home audiences.
The story of a young migrant boy and his journey towards acceptance, understanding and family connection has raised emotions around the globe, with the film being selected as the Best Family Feature Screenplay at the Nashville Film Festival, Best Feature Screenplay at the Silent River Film Festival in Los Angeles, Best Family Feature Screenplay at the Hollywood Screenplay Contest, plus a whole lot more.
For Mr Singh, reflecting on the past 12 months and the childhood that lead him to make the film, is something of a surreal experience.
“It’s kind of a tribute to my dad,” he said.
“I was 14 when he passed away and it had a very profound effect on me.
“I struggled to find my place and my identity in this place that I didn’t understand and it was very difficult.
“The movie is very symbolic of my own personal journey, so to see it connect with so many people, it’s a very different feeling.”
Mr Singh said while the film was loosely based on his and his family’s early time in Australia, he hoped the message of the movie would be more accessible than one person’s life.
“When I wrote this, I didn’t set out to make any specific message,” he said.
“It was just about my life and things that happened in my life, and kind of reflecting on all of that.
“I never wanted to make people think they had to look at these characters and say, ‘This is what’s happening to them right now’.
“I wanted people to look at the film and find some part of themselves that connects to it.”
He has produced other works locally, including 2013’s Shackles of the Batavia, a historical film about abandoned mutineers.
Eleven Days is something a lot more personal, though, and something which exemplifies why Mr Singh makes films in the first place.
“Just through entering the film in all of these competitions, I’ve had so many people from all these different nationalities and cultures contacting me and telling me how much the story means to them,” he said.
“That’s what really means the most to me. It’s not just my story, it’s everyone’s story, everyone who has felt alone or alienated and has tried to find their way back home.”
A special anniversary screening of Eleven Days will be held at LUNA Leederville on Sunday November 11 from 6.30pm.
Go to ticketbo.com for tickets.
