To celebrate NAIDOC Week 2024, and funded by Screen Australia, we’ve collected 11 Indigenous Australian screen stories available to watch right now.
Content warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are cautioned that this article may contain names, images, and voices of deceased people.
This article also contains references to violence and suicide.
NAIDOC Week will run from 7 to 14 July 2024 and celebrates the history, culture, achievements and history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year’s theme is ‘Keep the fire burning!’ Blak, Loud and Proud – celebrates the spirit and strength of Indigenous communities, amplifies and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, and builds on Indigenous solidarity and support. I call on everyone to stand up.
This collection of screen stories recognizes the diversity and breadth of Indigenous experience and the rich cultural heritage and history that shapes Australia, with so many titles to choose from, from world-class critics They reflect only a small portion of the acclaimed Indigenous screen stories. story.
Explore profiles and behind-the-scenes content about Indigenous creatives and projects available to watch now. Click here for more titles supported by the Bureau of Indigenous Affairs.
Learn more about NAIDOC Week, events near you, and this year’s theme, “Keep the Fire Burning!” Visit the Blak, Loud, Proud website here.
It has always been that way and always will be.
1. The story of the dark emu
Based on Bruce Pascoe’s award-winning book of the same name, Dark Emu Story charts the influence of the acclaimed novel and challenges us to rethink Australian history and pre-colonial narratives. Masu. Written by Bruce Pascoe and Jacob Hickey and directed by Erica Glynn, this Australian Walkley Award-winning film for journalism excellence is a thought-provoking journey across Australia, exploring our country and its first Australians. depicts a completely different history.
Discover the story of the dark emu on ABC iview
2. First weapon
Combining modern science and ancient technology, First Weapons introduces the techniques and principles behind indigenous weapons that have survived for thousands of years. Presenter Phil Breslin receives hands-on tutorials from weapons manufacturers from around the country, highlights the craftsmanship and ingenuity of each weapon, consults with scientists and experts about their modern applications, and explores the world’s best. Revealing the genius of the oldest and most terrifying weapon.
Watch First Weapons on ABC iview
3. Kinship
When filmmakers Gillian Moody and Adrian Russell Wills met 21 years ago while making a short film, little did they know they would go on to become close friends, relying on each other to get through life’s roller coaster. It wasn’t. Both children were adopted by white families on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and North Shore. The documentary details their experiences growing up cut off from their culture and, by extension, a large part of their identity. Kindred mines family, lineage, identity, friendship, and ultimately what it means to live in two worlds: white and black.
Hear more from writer and director Adrian Russell Wills about honoring your voice and being your authentic self, and watch Kindred on SBS On Demand.
4. Little J & Big Kass: S4
Little J and Big Kaz are back for another season of adventures as they explore and learn about the countryside and culture with the help of Nanna, Old Dog, and their teacher, Mr. Chen. Featuring a voice cast including Deborah Mailman, Miranda Tapsell, Ningali Lawford, Aaron Faaoso, Lenny Lim, Ursula Jovic, Shari Sebbens, and Mark Coles-Smith, this groundbreaking series features over 17 translated into indigenous languages. Developed in partnership with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), the series includes a series of books available online to help you learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge and skills and prepare you for the classroom. There are also many great resources for young children.
Watch all of Little J and Big Kaz’s adventures on ABC iview and NITV
5. Mystery Road: Origin
Tragic death, epic love, and the brutal reality of being a police officer straddling two worlds form the indelible mold of Detective Jay Swan in the award-winning and critically acclaimed Mystery Road: Origins I will. Returning to the helm from the award-winning Bunya Productions and directed by Dylan River, Mystery Road remains a masterpiece of filmmaking, showcasing a remarkable part of Australia not often seen on screen. . The series features an exciting new generation of Indigenous filmmakers, including director Dylan River, DOP Tyson Perkins and producer Penny Smallacombe, as well as veteran Mystery Road writers Blake Eyshford and Stephen McGregor. , Cody Bedford, and Timothy Lee.
Here you can travel behind the scenes of Mystery Road: Origins with director Dylan River and gain insight into writer Cody Bedford’s innovative characters and world.
Mystery Road: Origins, along with Seasons 1 and 2 of Mystery Road and the movies that started it all, Mystery Road and Goldstone, are all available on ABC iview.
6. Our Laws: S1 and S2
Our Law: Australia continues the journey of Indigenous police officers, recruits and cadets who aim to repair the troubled relationship between Indigenous people and the police and break the cycle of Indigenous incarceration. provides an honest insight into the challenges faced by police officers in their work. Change the system from within. Narrated by Deborah Mailman and directed by Perun Bonser, season two spans Australia and explores how Indigenous officers serve their communities.
Both seasons of Our Law are available to watch on SBS On Demand
7. Rebel with a cause
Introducing Queensland’s game changers, trailblazers and rebels who shaped a new path for future generations, ‘Rebels with a Cause’ explores four individuals who have left a lasting legacy in their respective fields. Celebrating the personal journeys of Indigenous leaders. Executive produced by Dena Curtis, this anthology series explores the eloquent passion of poet Woogeroo Noonakkal, one of Australia’s most respected and recognized jurists, and the first Australian to serve in the Australian government. It celebrates the eloquent passion of Indigenous teacher and lawyer Pat O’Shane AM. , Senator Neville Bonner, and activist and radio presenter Tiga Bales, who co-founded Australia’s first commercial Aboriginal radio station.
All four stories are available to watch on SBS On Demand
8. Total control: S3
The popular Australian political drama, which first aired on ABC in 2019, comes to a shocking conclusion in the third and final season of Total Control. Set amidst the machinations of modern politics, Total Control is a masterful exploration of powerful issues such as violence against women, the imprisonment of Indigenous Australians, land rights, and gender discrimination in politics. The season will keep you hooked till the end. Starring AACTA Award-winner Deborah Mailman as Alex Irving, Rachel Griffiths as Rachel Anderson, Rob Collins, Hugh Higginson, Darren Dale, Wesley Patten in AACTA Award-winner Political Frenemy , Anita Hegg, and an impressive cast alongside Mailman. , Steph Tisdell, and series creator Wayne Blair star as (spoiler alert) Australia’s first Indigenous Prime Minister.
Go behind the scenes of Season 2 with Deborah Mailman and watch the must-see political drama on ABC iview.
9. True color
Lariwi Hick leads a talented ensemble as Toni is tasked with investigating a suspicious traffic accident in Perdalal Teendal, an indigenous community she left as a child and has had little contact with for many years. -Plays Detective Alma. Spanning her small Northern Territory community and art galleries around the world, Murder explores culture, community and the very human pursuit of identity and belonging. Based on an original concept by Arrernte singer-songwriter Warren H. Williams and co-creator, writer and director Erica Glynn, it features debut performances by an outstanding cast of Indigenous storytellers.
True Colors is now streaming on SBS On Demand
10. Wind catcher
Windcatcher, an adventure film that celebrates the power of friendship, family, and being the hero of your own story, stars newcomer Percy Boy, a boy with a passion for running who saves up money to buy Terminal Velocity sneakers. Starring Lennox Monaghan. Along with fellow new students Kesey (Max Turner) and Daisy (Coco Greenstone), Percy Boy plans to raise funds and trains for the upcoming school carnival. Set in a nostalgic ’90s, pre-social media, small-town country of Victoria, this ragtag group of friends, along with Percy Boy’s beloved aunt and Pop, battle bullying, bushfires, and ghosts in a beautiful coming-of-age story. I will face my sadness. Directed by Tanith Glynn-Maroney from a screenplay written by Boyd Quarcaut, starring Jessica Mauboy, Kelton Pell, Lisa Maza, Pia Miranda, and Jessica McNamee, with Monaghan making an excellent debut as Percy Boy. I accomplished it.
Hear from director Tanith Glyn-Maroney in this behind-the-scenes interview and watch ‘The Windcatcher’ now on Stan.
11. We’re still here
A multi-protagonist drama film by Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Indigenous filmmakers that weaves eight Indigenous stories into a tale of hope and survival. A 1000-year exploration of kinship, loss, grief and resilience from central Australia’s Arrente country and the rainforests of Aotearoa, We Are Still Here reflects the diverse experiences of Indigenous peoples through the ages. , challenges colonial myths and offers hope for overcoming a shared society. The trauma that indigenous peoples in this region continue to face. The anthology film made its world premiere as the opening film at the 2022 Sydney Film Festival, screened at MIFF and Whānau Marama New Zealand International Film Festival, and made its international debut in the World Cinema category at TIFF.
Don’t miss “We Are Still Here” on SBS On Demand now.
What to read next
Samuel Painter joins the Department of Indigenous Affairs
Screen Australia has announced that Samuel Painter has joined the Indigenous division as development and investment manager, reporting to Angela Bates, head of Indigenous division.
June 27, 2024
screen australia
