WHEN former AFLW player Akec Makur Chuot interviewed fellow African footballer Mac Andrew's parents and grandmother for her first documentary, it was a more emotional experience that she had expected

Andrew's family reminded Makur Chuot of her own mother, and the sacrifices she had made across her lifetime. 

Makur Chuot, who played for Fremantle, Richmond and Hawthorn, grew up in South Sudan before her mother moved the family to Australia in the hope of providing them with greater opportunities.

"I got really emotional during the filming that day," Makur Chuot, who made history when she became the first African woman to play AFLW, said.

"I was just so inspired by how parents can be so selfless. You know, they're trying to figure out this country themselves, but then they were like, our kids love this game.

"They wanted to contribute, so they learned how to be a goal umpire, they put their hands up to volunteer at the canteen. Just really just beautiful, wholesome things."

Makur Chuot's mum brought her to Perth in Western Australia when she was 12 years old.

"I can relate," Makur Chuot said.

"I'm a South Sudanese woman who, you know, my mum was incredible in supporting us. Honestly, I did my footy journey because of my mum.

"I had pushback from the community. I used to get told off by my aunties when I was playing soccer and playing footy and my mum just supported me in my journey. I would not be here today without my mother.

"So it was just really just so impactful just to kind of remember my own journey and just how much my mum has shown up for me. She continues to do it even today, supporting me from afar."

Since retiring from the game, the 33-year old has gone on to achieve a whole host of accolades including finishing a business degree, spending time in the media and speaking as a keynote presenter at events.

The South Sudanese woman's most recent achievement is writing and producing a short-form documentary on her fellow African players for Footy Shorts, an initiative by VicScreen, the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) and the AFL.

"I've always been really interested in the filmmaking world and the storytelling element of it," Makur Chuot said.

"It's so important that we tell our own stories from the perspective of our own journey. From the point of view of somebody like me, it's been quite a long journey.

"It's also been a really incredible journey where I've discovered that I can be South Sudanese, I can be an African woman, and I can also be a proud Australian woman, using football to kind of find my way in this big community."

The film follows Makur Chuot as she interviews other AFL players of African descent, including Magpie Isaac Quaynor, Western Bulldogs AFLW player Elaine Grigg and star Sun Mac Andrew.

A common concept explored in Makur Chuot’s film is how AFL, or kura, which is the African word for football, connected the players with their communities.

"It’s really an identity piece. How do we as African Australians, come here and find our belonging? We found it through footy, which in our culture, in our language, we call it kura," Makur Chuot said.

"For me, it was just really focusing on that question and about how I started playing AFLW. But then I also saw people like Héritier Lumumba and Majak Daw paving the way and making their mark in the game. How did they come to feel like they belonged? You know, how did they use footy to do that?

"Then asking the same question of the next generation, like Isaac and Elaine and Mac Andrew, who are absolutely killing it in the game at the moment. So that's how the movie came about."

Makur Chuot’s film will be shown on Wednesday night at the Melbourne International Film Festival.

When asked how she will be feeling, the 40-game player said she expects mixed emotions.

"Honestly, I don't know how I will feel. I really just don't," Makur Chuot said.

"I think for me it will just be a relief because it's been a lot of hard work. It's been a really hard, hard journey, but it's also been a really fun, creative journey that we've really pushed.

"I'm just so proud of our whole team. I'm just so grateful to Meg (Duncan - the film's director/producer). Meg really was just the driver in ensuring we got everything done in time."

And for Makur Chuot, this might not be the end of her filmmaking career.

"I think there is a space for somebody like me and others to be making more films and more documentaries and other things," said Makur Chuot.

"I love a good challenge and I’m somebody who loves learning. So yeah, we made the first one, why stop now? We might as well keep going. It's like when you first learn how to kick the footy."

2026 FOOTY SHORTS FILMS

Carn the Chinese! by producer/director Angela How 
A community’s efforts to belong sees a group of young Chinese-Australian men come together and play their national game of Aussie Rules with true-blue passion and gusto.

For the Boys by director/producer Mitchell Withers and producer Sofia Viegas 
For his sons, he came out. For himself, he plays again. Australia's first openly queer ex-AFL player Mitch Brown steps back onto the field, bringing his whole self for the first time.

Kura: An African AFL Story by writer/director/producer Akec Makur Chuot and director/producer Meg Duncan
Former AFLW player Akec Makur Chuot traces a path from her heroes to the new generation of African-Australian stars navigating two worlds to find belonging.

Invincible Spirit by co-producer/writer/director Mark Thomson and co-producer/director/director of photography/editor David Callow

In the heart of the Goulburn-Murray region, the Rumbalara Football and Netball Club stands as a modern-day fortress of Yorta Yorta pride, a sanctuary of cultural healing where a community fights not just for points, but for the safety and dignity of its children.

North Melbourne Cheer Squad by co-directors Jasper Caverly and Andrew Goode, and producer Sophie Booth 
Members of the North Melbourne Football Club Cheer Squad prepare to face long-standing rivals Essendon: a club they haven't beaten in a decade.

Footy Shorts offers emerging Victorian screen storytellers the chance to create short documentaries exploring Australian Rules Football on and off the field. Each team receives a $25,000 production budget, professional development with industry mentors, and access to the AFL’s footage archive and support from AFL clubs.

The Footy Shorts films will have a gala world premiere at the 74th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) in August 2026. MIFF runs from August 6-23 2026.

Following MIFF, the films will be available to view digitally across all AFL platforms, including AFL.com.au and the AFL app.