I am part of an animation collective based in Melbourne, known as the Southern Ladies Animation Group (S.L.A.G.). We are a group of 13 independent female animators. We created  It’s Like That in response to Australia’s system of mandatory detention for people seeking asylum.

In February 2002, Australian radio reporter Jacqueline Arias did telephone interviews with very young asylum seekers, who had been detained in one of Australia’s onshore detention centres. The children talked about their situation with some resignation: ‘Because life in this land out here is good, but not in this camp. It’s as if we’ve been sent to prison. Do you know prison? That’s what it’s like here!’

The film is a combination of digital and traditional animation techniques, and was created collaboratively and self-funded by SLAG.

It’s Like That has screened at over 60 festivals and conferences following its world debut screening at the Amsterdam Documentary Film Festival in 2003. It had a theatrical release over the Christmas period 2004–05 in Dendy Cinemas in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane and screened at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in the US. It won Best Australian Film at the Melbourne International Animation Festival and was nominated for Best Short Animation at the 2004 AFI Awards. Amnesty International has licensed the film for its educational programs.

At the time of the completion of the film, in the autumn of 2003, the children’s situation had still not changed.