The movie 'Ten Canoes'

Yesterday I saw a stunning movie 'Ten Canoes' as a fundraiser for a local Social Justice group. There were about three hundred people there which is most unusual for a theatre.

This naturalistic story of Aboriginal life is set in the distant past, with two stories, one filmed in black and white, the other colour. A story within a story. David Ulpilil narrates in English but otherwise the Aboriginal Ganalbingu language is used with sub-titles. It was filmed in the Arafura Swamp region of north-eastern Arnhem Land.

It's an amazing film, the story unfolding gently with lots of humour and strong tragedy as well. Dayindi (Jamie Gulpilil) covets the pretty youngest wife 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.

It's a must see film, absolutely.
W.