“The story behind the filmmaker”, A talk by Milena Ben-David

In conjunction with Liverpool Regional Museum's current exhibition Exilio (Exiled) Chile to Southwest Sydney, which features Milena's latest video commission, Milena Ben-David will give a talk on the story behind the commission and her process.

Milena Ben-David is a dedicated story-catcher and filmmaker. She initially focused on collecting general oral histories, preserving diverse narratives from different communities. But her journey took a poignant turn when she began documenting the harrowing experiences of her own Chilean elders who fled the Pinochet regime after the military coup in 1973. Milena discovered that the testimonies of her elders were the stories her father had chosen to hide in order to protect her from his painful past. Through these deeply personal stories of resilience and survival, Milena discovered the healing power of storytelling.

Her documentaries not only preserve the legacy of her community's past, but also help both the storytellers and herself to heal old wounds. By bringing these untold stories to light, she promotes understanding and reconciliation, and sheds light on the profound impact of political upheaval on personal lives.

Milena Sanhueza Ben-David (Recapture Productions) is the daughter of Chilean refugees who grew up in Canada.

Her early exposure to socio-political issues sparked her interest in understanding the complexities of the human experience. After a period of extensive travelling, Milena settled in Israel where she graduated from Tel Aviv University with a degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies. She has been involved in numerous peace initiatives and social justice programmes.

In 2005 Milena moved to Australia where she became a filmmaker and completed a Diploma in Community Services. As a filmmaker, Milena has found her voice in the world of visual storytelling.