Shortwave #20: Nyaluak Leth - Poetry By Design (2025)
Shortwave - New Screen Commissions
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5m 15s
Shortwave is a short film commissioning program from Sydney Opera House, which invites Australian artists to explore their relationship with the screen. Each Shortwave film centres on the interplay between art, performance and screen, showcasing radical, innovative and experimental approaches to filmmaking.
‘Poetry By Design’ by Nyaluak Leth is a cinematic self-portrait that weaves memory, voice, and intention, following a multidisciplinary poet through a reflective narration of her journey of becoming. The film is directed, written and performed by Nyaluak, in collaboration with Creative Producer Alessandro Zotti and Director of Photography Marcus Sternecker.
As a creative activist, NMMWL (Nyaluak Leth) has built a practice rooted in transformation - using poetry as a vessel for truth, reclamation, and change. Born in South Sudan and raised in Australia, they channel lived experience into verses that move between protest, prayer, and presence. Their work explores the complexities of identity, ancestral memory, social justice, and human connection - often blurring the line between performance and ritual.
Through a multidisciplinary lens, NMMWL creates immersive poetic experiences that combine movement, music, voice, and visual art. Their performances are emotionally charged and spiritually grounded, offering space for reflection and radical honesty.
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