Michelle "Mitch" Rose Torres (born 1964), also credited as Michelle Torres-Hill, is an Aboriginal Australian actress, director, journalist, playwright, producer, radio presenter, and writer. She began as an actress, playing the main role in the 1986 film BabaKiueria. She then worked as a journalist, becoming the first Indigenous Australian on-air presenter for SBS Television, and working at ABC Television. After this she worked for Indigenous radio stations as a broadcaster, producer, and presenter. She moved into filmmaking in the mid-1990s, with her first short film Promise for SBS-TV. Among her works include the documentary Jandamarra's War and the play Muttacar Sorry Business.
As of 2022, Torres had been in the media industry for over 35 years, with work in acting, directing, producing, writing,[4][10] TV journalism and presenter, radio broadcast producer and presenter, and theatrical writer and director.[5][8]
Initially as an actor, with credits in The Fringe Dwellers and Tudawali.[4] Torres played the central role in the 1986 mockumentary BabaKiueria as the reporter Duranga Manika,[11][12] following the lives of a "‘typical’ white family" and describing a football match as "ritualised violence", betting at the TAB as a religion, and the Anzac Day March as a ritual where they "honour their warrior ancestors".[13] In 1988 she started working as a journalist, becoming the first Indigenous on-air presenter for SBS Television.[4][10][8][14] She then entered the ABC Television cadetship program.[10][8][14] She was the first presenter and a field journalist for GWN7's Millbindi program.[10][8]
After work in television journalism, she worked as a broadcaster for Indigenous radio stations Goolari and WAAMA6NR, then working for ABC Kimberley as the morning show's presenter and producer.[10][8][14] Torres, alongside her sister Ali Torres, served as the host for the National Indigenous Television program Kriol Kitchen.[15][16] The series served to educate viewers on the traditional cuisines of the Kimberley Region and highlight some of the scenery of the region.[15] Torres was the primary presenter, while Ali took a background role; in an interview with SBS Food she was referred to as a "self-proclaimed damper destroyer".[16]
In the mid-1990s, Torres moved to filmmaking, with her first short drama, Promise,[8] being a contribution to the Shifting Sands Short Drama Initiative (SBS-TV).[10][14] Then making documentaries such as Jandamarra's War[17] and Whispering in our Hearts.[10][14] She recalled stumbling across the lead actor for Jandamarra's War serendipitously whilst in the Muludja Aboriginal Community.[17] As of 2021, Torres focuses on dramas, with previous work in documentaries and theatrical plays.[14] She was credited as "Michelle Torres-Hill" in the 1990s.[9]
In 2006, Torres alongside David Milroy wrote the theatrical production Muttacar Sorry Business with funding from the Insurance Commission of Western Australia.[18] The show highlights social determinants including alcohol, risk taking behaviours, and overcrowding and the resulting high incidence of road trauma among Indigenous communities.[18] The production was expanded into Northern Territory's road safety programs.[19]
In September 2020, Torres was selected as one of eight participants in a new writing and directing initiative organised by WA Indigenous production companies Pink Pepper and Ramu Productions, along with and New Zealand company Brown Sugar Apple Grunt, called the RED project. The project consisted of development workshops enabling each participant to write and direct a 10-minute short film, which would be part of a single anthology 80-minute feature film (working title RED) consisting of stories from a female Aboriginal perspective. The other participants were Ngaire Pigram, Debbie Carmody, Kelli Cross, Karla Hart, Chantelle Murray, Jub Clerc, and Kodie Bedford.[20][21]
Companies
She is the owner of the film company Ngarra Ngarra Film, who has collaborated with Ramu Productions for television series such as Seven.[14] Alongside her sister Ali, Torres is the owner of Mijinalii, which specialises on soap, candle, and body products who worked in collaboration with the Maganda Makers Business Club.[22]