Indigenous documentary
64 titles - sorted by title / by year
Factual representation of Indigenous people and culture by Indigenous people.
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Alyawarre Country (2001)
A documentary about how, in January 1889, cattle arrived in the Frew River area, and changed the lives of the local Indigenous peoples forever.
The Art of Healing (2005)
A documentary about an Arrernte woman Agnes Palmer, and her vision of painting the walls of the Santa Teresa church in Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa), an Aboriginal community ...
Aunty Connie (2006)
Aunty Connie is described as a love story. It uses voice-over narration (Deborah Mailman), historical photographs and interviews with Aunty Connie McDonald, an Indigenous woman who was born ...
Benny and the Dreamers (1992)
A documentary about the Pintubi people’s first contact with white people, and the affects of dispossession and institutionalisation when the peoples were forced from their lands into missions.
Beyond Sorry (2003)
When she was eight years old, Zita Wallace was removed from her families by the authorities. This is a documentary about the Stolen Generations, and the journey of ...
Black and Dusty (2005)
A documentary about the Indigenous participants of the 2005 Tattersalls Finke Desert Race.
Blood Brothers – Freedom Ride (1993)
A documentary that intercuts interview material with historical footage, Freedom Ride, written and directed by Rachel Perkins, delves into the political motivations of her father, Dr ‘Kumantjayi’ (Charlie) ...
Cheeky Dog (2006)
A documentary about a young Indigenous boy afflicted with muscular dystrophy and his fascination with dogs. Cheeky Dog is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced by Central ...
Cool Drink and Culture (2006)
A documentary that features young Indigenous women speaking about the effects of unhealthy food upon the children. Cool Drink and Culture is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series ...
Crook Hat and Camphoo (2005)
A documentary that shows two Alyawarr elders, Donald ‘Crook Hat’ Thompson Kemarre and Reggie ‘Camphoo’ Pwerl making spears and woomeras in the tradition of the old people, using ...
Desert Tracks (1997)
A film that speaks about the Pitjantjatjara people’s efforts to preserve vital cultural information in order to care for land by turning to tourism.
Dog Dreaming (2001)
A documentary that uses observational footage and paintings to tell the Dreaming story of two ancestral dogs.
Footy The La Perouse Way (2006)
A documentary that uses historical photographs to talk about the history of rugby league in the Sydney suburb of La Perouse, and how football has helped build a ...
The Foundation 1963–1977 (2002)
A documentary that intercuts interviews with historical footage to tell the history of The Foundation of Aboriginal Affairs, an organisation significant in the push for the 1967 referendum ...
Gulpilil: One Red Blood (2002)
A documentary about the career of Indigenous actor, dancer, and cultural delegate, David Gulpilil, using interview as well as archival footage.
Island Fettlers (2006)
A documentary that uses historical footage, with current interview and observational footage, about the journey of Torres Strait Islander men who moved to the Pilbara to work on ...
Karli Jalangu – Boomerang Today (2004)
An observational-style documentary about the making of a number seven boomerang by four senior traditional men from Central Australia. Karli Jalangu – Boomerang Today is part of the ...
Loved Up – Endangered (2005)
A documentary with interviews and animated sequences that explores the issue of being single and Indigenous in contemporary society.
Loved Up – Lore of Love (2005)
A short documentary about a young woman named Jessie Bartlett, an 18-year-old being taught the lores of love by her Pintupi grandmothers Mijili, Nancy and Kumanjayi.
Loved Up – Our Bush Wedding (2005)
An observational documentary about the wedding between artist Gordon Syron and photographer Elaine Pelot-Kitchener. Syron went to jail in 1972 for killing a man who, in his view, ...
Loved Up – The Dream of Love (2005)
An intimate portrait of the family of filmmaker Lawrence Johnston, who discuss what love means to them individually and as a family.
Merrepen (2005)
A documentary about the gathering of the leaves and berries from the Merrepen plant by Indigenous women from the Nauiya community on the Daly River to make dilly ...
Message Stick – Arafura Pearl (2003)
Cathleen Mills (nee McGuiness) is a respected Indigenous elder of Darwin, mother of eight, and mother to the singing group The Mills Sisters.
Message Stick – Babinda Boulders (2005)
Young men fall victim to a waterhole that, according to Aboriginal legend, is a sacred place where the spirit of an Aboriginal woman dwells.
Message Stick – Bill’s Wake (2001)
Bill Neidjie decided to have a wake while he was alive, rather than waiting until his death, to hear what everyone would say about him.
Message Stick – Black Olive (2005)
Mark Olive (aka the Black Olive) uses native ingredients to prepare cuisine with a local flavour.
Message Stick – Child Artists of Carrolup (2003)
During the 1950s children from Carrolup mission in Western Australia, south of Perth, became artists under the instruction of Mr White, but after leaving the mission many of ...
Message Stick – Koori Court (2005)
The Koori Court in Victoria was set up to reduce high imprisonment rates by combining Aboriginal beliefs with the white legal system.
Message Stick – Kurtal: Snake Spirit (2002)
Spider, an 80-year-old Indigenous elder and Wangkatjungka man, returns to the Great Sandy Desert of Western Australia to perform a cleansing ceremony at a sacred jila, a water ...
Message Stick – Long Grassers (2005)
An exposé on the homeless Aboriginal people of Darwin, known as ‘long grassers’.
Message Stick – Scotty Martin, Rodeo Boy, Don’t Say Sorry (2005)
A story about songman Scotty Martin, who inherited the role of composer of songs. This episode also features rodeo boy Bowman Button, a four-year-old cowboy, and a short ...
Message Stick – Wathaurong Glass (2003)
The Wathaurong community of Geelong began a glass business in order to provide employment for their people.
Message Stick – Wayne’s World (2005)
An episode that introduces us to award-winning filmmaker and actor Wayne Blair.
Mimi: An Evening with the Aboriginal Dance Theatre (1988)
A documentary filmed during the National Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre’s end of year production.
Mparntwe Sacred Sites (2004)
A documentary about the sacred sites of Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and how the development of Alice Springs affected the cultural traditions of the Arrernte people.
My Brother Vinnie (2006)
A documentary that explores the relationship between Arrernte actor Aaron Pedersen and his brother Vinnie, whose mild retardation made him dependent on his older brother. This is the ...
My Mother’s Country Part 1 (2001)
My Mother’s Country is a documentary that gives a personal account of the Coniston Massacre of 1928.
My Mother’s Country Part 2 (2001)
My Mother’s Country is a personal account of the Coniston Massacre of 1928, in two parts.
My Survival as an Aboriginal (1978)
A documentary about Indigenous woman Essie Coffey (1940–1998) and her life in the township of Brewarrina, or Dodge City, as it is also known.
Narbalek (2001)
An observational documentary about the Bordoh clan of Manmoyi, 200 km from Oenpelli, in Arnhem Land. Narbalek is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced by Central Australian ...
The Old Man and the Inland Sea (2005)
A documentary about Mr Norman Hayes Jagamarra who was a ‘noodler’ on the mining fields of Cobber Pedy.
One People Sing Freedom (1988)
A documentary about the Bicentenary in 1988 when, while the majority of Australia celebrated the anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet in 1788, Indigenous Australians were ...
Pioneers of Love (2005)
Inspired by Elena Govor’s book My Dark Brother: The Story of the Illins, A Russian–Aboriginal Family (2000), Pioneers of Love is a documentary that uses historical footage and ...
Rosie (2004)
A docu-drama stylistically using both interview and dramatic re-enactment to depict the childhood of Rosalie Fraser, an Aboriginal woman who as one of the Stolen Generation, fostered out ...
Rydin’ Time (2005)
A documentary about three Indigenous rodeo riders, Kaleb Comollatti, Dallas McNamara, and John Stacey who ride at the Mt Isa Rodeo in 2005. Rydin’ Time is part of ...
Sammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows (2004)
A documentary about musician Sammy Butcher who once played with the Warumpi Band and now invests his energy in young musicians in his community, Papunya, 250 kilometres west ...
Shifting Shelter 3 (2005)
Shifting Shelter 3 is the latest instalment in a documentary series shot over a ten year period. Reminiscent of the British 7 Up Series, the Shifting Shelter series ...
Smoking the Baby (2001)
An observational documentary about the cultural ritual of smoking the baby to ensure their health and well-being. Smoking the Baby is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced ...
Stolen Generations (2000)
A documentary using historical and interview footage to tell the story of three people removed as children from their families, who are now one of the many referred ...
Sunset to Sunrise (ingwartentyele – arrerlkeme) (2006)
A documentary that carries the words of Rupert Max Stuart, Arrernte Mat-utjarra Elder, his philosophies and message about passing culture on and keeping it alive. Sunset to Sunrise ...
Teddy Briscoe (2000)
A documentary about an Indigenous stockman, and the legacy carried on by his family.
Time Bomb (2003)
A documentary about Frank Djara and his work as a men’s health consultant in Areyonga. Frank also talks about how diabetes has affected his life.
Tombstone Unveiling (2000)
An observational documentary about the Torres Strait tradition of unveiling the tombstone of the deceased a year after death. Tombstone Unveiling is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series ...
Trespass (2002)
A documentary about Yvonne Margarula and the Mirarr people’s fight against the mining companies. Trespass is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced by Central Australian Aboriginal Media ...
Us Deadly Mob (2005)
Us Deadly Mob is a short documentary about an Indigenous family of surfers – a ‘surf family story’.
Warren H Williams, the stories, the songs (2004)
A documentary about Arrernte musician Warren H Williams, who shares the source of his musical inspiration and the role of family and culture in his personal and professional ...
Whispering in Our Hearts (2001)
A documentary depicting the 1918 massacre of Aboriginal people at Mowla Bluff, Western Australia. The story of the massacre is told in interviews with surviving Nyikina, Mangala and ...
Willigan’s Fitzroy (2000)
A documentary about Fitzroy Crossing presented through the eyes of local characters. Willigan’s Fitzroy is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced by Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association ...
Wirriya: Small Boy (2004)
An observational documentary about Ricco Japaljarri Martin, an eight-year-old boy who lives in Hidden Valley with his foster mother. Wirriya, Small Boy is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe ...
Yellow Fella (2005)
A documentary narrated by Tommy E Lewis, intercut with historical footage, tells of the journey of Tommy E Lewis to find the grave of his white father.
