REFUGIUM (2021) is an award-winning short film of speculative fiction, by Jen Rae (Scottish-Métis) and Claire G. Coleman (Wirlomin Noongar). Centred on First Nations knowledge and protocols, Refugium hacks time and compounding existential crises, delves into moral dilemmas of life and death and hones in on child-centred trauma prevention and intergenerational justice in the coming collapse.

Commissioned by Arts House for ‘Refuge: 2021’.
Winner, Incinerator Art Award for Social Change (2021)
Selected for Melbourne Now 2023 part of the NGV X Recess: Artist Film Program

REFUGIUM begins with Claire in 2042, at age 68, in an undisclosed bunker attempting to log into the BILYA portal in a futile effort to warn other Reworlders about a raid. Claire is the sentinel of the Centre for Reworlding, the last person standing, per se. Everyone has dispersed and she is alone. She begins a nihilistic spiral, halfway believing that all efforts at Reworlding were for nothing. “We failed,” she says, and attempts to communicate with those in 2021 to save themselves and ditch Reworlding. For the sake of future generations, Jen’s great-granddaughter, Ellis, is tasked in 2121 with intercepting Claire’s transmission, and a dialogue ensues. Difficult questions are answered.

Acknowledgement of Country
REFUGIUM was created on the unceded lands of the Wurrundjeri Peoples of the Kulin Nations. The Centre for Reworlding pays our deepest respects to their Ancestors and Elders past and present, and acknowledge their enduring legacy of care for Country so we may enjoy the stars, drink from the waters and continue to learn from the land. We are committed to strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples for the benefit of future generations to thrive in restored ecosystems.