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Ten canoes - Richard Birrinbirrin, David Gulpilil, Jamie Gulpilil, Rolf de Heer

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

One hundred and fifty spears, ten canoes, three wives... trouble.

It is the distant past, tribal times. Dayindi (Jamie Gulpilil) covets one of the wives of his older brother. To teach him the proper way, he is told a story from the mythical past, a story of wrong love, kidnapping, sorcery, bungling mayhem and revenge gone wrong.

Ten canoes is a surreal tragi-comedy in the Ganalbingu language of the remote Arafura Swamp region of north-eastern Arnhem Land, Australia.

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film Australia aborigine drama crime kidnap relationship Arafura Swamp Arnhem Land social myth revenge

Persons of interest

Jamie Gulpilil .... Dayindi/Yeeralparil
Richard Birrinbirrin .... Birrinbirrin
Peter Minygululu ... Minygululu
Frances Djulibing .... Nowalingu
Philip Gudthaykudthay .... The Sorcerer
David Gulpilil .... The Storyteller
Crusoe Kurddal .... Ridjimiraril
Sonia Djarrabalminym .... Banalandju
Cassandra Malangarri Baker .... Munandjarra
Peter Djigirr .... The Victim
Michael Dawu .... The Stranger
Rolf de Heer .... Screenwriter
Rolf de Heer .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Ten canoes official movie site
Ten canoes film production notes (.rtf)
Ten canoes QuickTime movie trailers:

Small * Medium * Large

Awards and film festivals:

Adelaide Film Festival 2006: World première
Australian Film Institute (AFI) 2006: Won: Best Cinematography (Ian Jones), Best Editing (Tania Nehme), Best Sound (James Currie, Tom Heuzenroeder, Michael Bakaloff, Rory McGregor; Nominated: Best Film (Julie Ryan, Rolf de Heer), Best Direction (Rolf de Heer, Peter Djigirr), Best Original Screenplay (Rolf de Heer), Best Production Design (Beverley Freeman)
Australian Writers Guild Awards (Awgies) 2006: Nominated: Feature Film (Original)
Cannes Film Festival 2006: Won: Special Jury Prize - Un certain regard
Film Critics Circle of Australia 2006: Won: Best Film, Best Cinematography, Best Editing (Tania Nehme); Nominated: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay
if Awards 2006: Won: Best Director (Rolf de Heer, Peter Djigirr), Best Actor (Crusoe Kurddal), Best Cinematography (Ian Jones); Nominated: Best Feature Film, Best Script (Rolf de Heer), Best Sound (James Currie, Tom Heuzenroeder, Rory McGregor, Michael Bakaloff)
London Film Festival 2006: Film on the Square
Sydney Film Festival 2006: Closing night film
Toronto International Film Festival 2006: Visions

NB: English and Ganalbingu languages with English language subtitles; Colour, black and white
See also Yolngu boy
Studios and distributors:

Adelaide Film Festival * Film Finance Corporation Australia (FFC) * SBS Independent * South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) * Palace Film * The AV Channel

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

That mob up north have made one bloody good movie with Ten canoes. You are taken back into the world before Europeans, before alcohol, before cars, before syphillis, before petrol, to the heart of the true Australian culture: eating, rooting, taking the piss (some things never change). This is a beautiful movie that every Aussie should see.