Films about Indigenous Australia often center around storytelling through the perspectives, histories, and contemporary experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. These stories may touch on themes such as colonization, cultural heritage, identity, social challenges, and the connection to the land. Often, such films aim to provide insight, educate audiences, and promote understanding of Indigenous Australian cultures and communities.
Here is a list of films about Indigenous Australia:
“Walkabout”, 1971
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Directed by Nicolas Roeg, this film is about two white schoolchildren who get stranded in the Australian Outback and meet an Aboriginal boy on “walkabout,” a traditional rite of passage.
Starring: Jenny Agutter, Luc Roeg, David Gulpilil, John Meillon, Robert McDarra, Peter Carver, John Illingsworth, Hilary Bamberger, Barry Donnelly, Noeline Brown;
Production year: 1971;
Genre: drama, adventure;
MPAA rating: g;
Duration: 100 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “Walkabout” on the website imdb.com
“The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith”, 1978
Director: Fred Schepisi
Based on a novel by Thomas Keneally and directed by Fred Schepisi, this film follows the life of a half-indigenous man who faces racism and becomes an outlaw.
Starring: Tommy Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Ray Barrett, Jack Thompson, Angela Punch McGregor, Steve Dodd, Peter Carroll, Ruth Cracknell, Don Crosby, Elizabeth Alexander;
Production year: 1978;
Genre: drama, crime, biography, history;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 120 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
More information about the film “The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith” on the website imdb.com
“Rabbit-Proof Fence”, 2002
Director: Phillip Noyce
Directed by Phillip Noyce, this film tells the true story of three Aboriginal girls who escape after being forcibly taken from their families and set out on a journey home along Australia’s rabbit-proof fence.
Starring: Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, Laura Monaghan, Ningali Lawford, David Gulpilil, Kenneth Branagh, Myarn Lawford, Deborah Mailman, Jason Clarke, Natasha Wanganeen;
Production year: 2002;
Genre: drama, biography;
MPAA rating: pg;
Duration: 94 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
More information about the film “Rabbit-Proof Fence” on the website imdb.com
“Ten Canoes”, 2006
Director: Rolf De Heer, Peter Djigirr
Directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr, this film is a narrative set in Arnhem Land and told in the indigenous Yolŋu Matha language, depicting the storytelling tradition of the Aboriginal people.
Starring: Crusoe Kurddal, Jamie Gulpilil, Richard Birrinbirrin, Peter Minygululu, Frances Djulibing, David Gulpilil, Sonia Djarrabalminym, Cassandra Malangarri Baker, Philip Gudthaykudthay, Peter Djigirr;
Production year: 2006;
Genre: drama, comedy, adventure;
Age: 12+;
Duration: 90 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,9;
More information about the film “Ten Canoes” on the website imdb.com
“Samson and Delilah”, 1996
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Directed by Warwick Thornton, this love story follows two teenagers from a remote community as they try to navigate the challenges of their circumstances.
Starring: Eric Thal, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael Gambon, Dennis Hopper, Diana Rigg, Daniel Massey, Paul Freeman, Ben Becker, Jale Arikan, Deborah Caprioglio;
Production year: 1996;
Genre: drama, melodrama, adventure, history;
Age: 16+;
Rating: IMDB: 5,8;
“The Sapphires”, 2012
Director: Wayne Blair
Wayne Blair directs this film which follows an all-Aboriginal female soul group in the 1960s that aspires to perform for American troops during the Vietnam War.
Starring: Tanika Lonesborough, Nioka Brennan, Lynette Narkle, Kylie Belling, Tammy Anderson, Miah Madden, Ava Jean Miller-Porter, Carlin Briggs, Gregory J. Fryer, Miranda Tapsell;
Production year: 2012;
Genre: drama, melodrama, comedy, biography, music;
MPAA rating: pg13;
Duration: 103 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7;
More information about the film “The Sapphires” on the website imdb.com
“Charlie's Country”, 2013
Director: Rolf De Heer
Again directed by Rolf de Heer, this film stars David Gulpilil as an Aboriginal man who struggles with life in northern Australia, feeling caught between the traditions of his people and the laws of the white man.
Starring: David Gulpilil, Peter Djigirr, Luke Ford, Lizzie Durrurrnga, Bobby Bunungurr, Frances Djulibing, Michael Dawa, Paul Blackwell, Peter Minygululu, John Brumpton;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: drama;
Duration: 108 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,2;
More information about the film “Charlie's Country” on the website imdb.com
“Sweet Country”, 2017
Director: Warwick Thornton
Directed by Warwick Thornton, this western-style period piece is about an Aboriginal stockman who goes on the run after killing a white man in self-defense, set in the Northern Territory of the 1920s.
Starring: Hamilton Morris, Shanika Cole, Ewen Leslie, Sam Neill, Thomas M. Wright, Gibson John, Tremayne Doolan, Trevon Doolan, Bryan Brown, Anni Finsterer;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime, adventure, western;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 113 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,9;
More information about the film “Sweet Country” on the website imdb.com
“High Ground”, 2020
Director: Stephen Johnson
Directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson, this film is set in the 1930s and tells the story of a sniper turned policeman who is involved in the massacres of Indigenous communities and the complex relationship that develops with a young Aboriginal man.
Starring: Jacob Junior Nayinggul, Simon Baker, Callan Mulvey, Aaron Pedersen, Ryan Corr, Caren Pistorius, Jack Thompson, Witiyana Marika, Sean Mununggurr, Esmerelda Marimowa;
Production year: 2020;
Genre: action, thriller, drama, adventure, western;
Age: 18+;
Duration: 104 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 6,5;
Please note, while the above-listed films exist and are about Indigenous Australians, new films are continually being made, and there may be more recent or less well-known works that are not included in this list.
In conclusion, films about Indigenous Australia offer a powerful and essential window into the nuanced and diverse experiences of the First Peoples of Australia. They provide a cinematic journey that weaves through the complex tapestry of cultural heritage, colonial impact, and contemporary struggles for recognition and reconciliation. Through the lenses of talented indigenous and non-indigenous filmmakers alike, audiences are invited to confront the raw truths of Australia's history and engage with stories of resilience, resistance, and the enduring spirit of the world's oldest living cultures. Whether through the stirring visuals of “Ten Canoes,” the gritty realism of “Samson and Delilah,” or the emotional depth of “The Sapphires,” these films challenge, educate and inspire, leaving an indelible impact on the collective consciousness and contributing to a greater understanding and respect for the people who have called Australia home for tens of thousands of years.
