Films - RAI FILM

RAI FILM

Film list

[aeroplane-dance--Film-image]

Aeroplane Dance 1994 58‘

Directed by Trevor Graham .

December 1942: US bomber ‘Little Eva’ was returning to base after a bombing raid over New Guinea. It hit a storm and crashed at Moonlight Creek in Australia’s far north. Aeroplane Dance

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples War / Conflict / Reconciliation Memory

[the-ainu-bear-ceremony--Film-image]

The Ainu Bear Ceremony 1931 27‘

Directed by Neil G. Munro .

The RAI has reedited the original film of this ceremony among the Ainu people of Japan. In the bear ceremony, now no longer performed, a specially reared bear was reverently killed and its flesh and

Central Asia and Far East Ritual Animals Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[camels-of-the-pitjantjara--Film-image]

Camels of the Pitjantjara 1969 45‘

Directed by Roger Sandall .

From the 1920s onwards, when motor vehicles displaced camels as a mode of supply in central Australia, camels gradually went feral. As this film shows, however, in the 1960s, the Pitjantjara were

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Infrastructure / Transport Animals

[collum-calling-canberra--Film-image]

Collum Calling Canberra 1983 59‘

Directed by David MacDougall Judith MacDougall .

An account of Aboriginal people steering their way through the often frustrating processes of official decision-making, as it is seen from their viewpoint far away from Canberra. Gordon Smith, head

Australia Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[confluences-emerillon-of-french-guiana--Film-image]

Confluences – Emerillon of French Guiana 2007 78‘

Directed by Perle Møhl .

Like self-fulfilling prophecies, scientific reports have hitherto depicted the Emerillon of French Guiana as cultureless and doomed to disappear. With this film, an anthropologist proposes to defy

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Everyday Life

[conversations-with-dundiwuy-wanambi--Film-image]

Conversations with Dundiwuy Wanambi 1984 50‘

Directed by Ian Dunlop Philippa Deveson .

A series of interviews with Dundiwuy Wanambi, shot over twelve years. They reveal the struggles of one man in the face of the huge changes brought about by the coming of a mining project, and

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Health / Health care / Healing Social Change

[democracia-indigena--Film-image]

Democracía Indígena 2000 39‘

Directed by Bruce Pacho Lane .

This film examines the indigenous rights revolution sweeping Mexico through the municipal elections in Huehuetla, Puebla. In 1989, the Huehuetla Totonacs formed the Organización Independiente

Central America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Political Activists

[familiar-places--Film-image]

Familiar Places 1980 50‘

Directed by David MacDougall .

Anthropologist Peter Sutton is taken by an Aboriginal family, the Naponans, to map hereditary clan country in northern Queensland where they hope to live one day. To the children it is all new; to an

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Land Rights Education / Knowledge Transmission

[good-bye-old-man--Film-image]

Good-bye Old Man 1977 70‘

Directed by David MacDougall .

A last request of a Tiwi man on Melville Island was that a film be made of the pukumani (bereavment) ceremony to follow his death. The film follows his family, from the days of preparation to their

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Death Elderly people Film / Photography / Mass media Ritual

[habilito-debt-for-life--Film-image]

Habilito – Debt for Life 2010 52‘

Directed by Chuck Sturtevant .

This documentary explores many of the conflicts and tensions that arise at the point of contact between highland migrants and lowland indigenous peoples, focusing particularly on the system of debt

South America Socioeconomic conditions Migration Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Labour

[horror-in-the-andes--Film-image]

Horror in the Andes 2019 33‘

Special Interest Directed by Martha-Cecilia Dietrich .

Horror in the Andes is a behind-the-scenes documentary that follows the process of making a horror movie in Ayacucho, Peru. Directed by audio-visual anthropologist Martha-Cecilia Dietrich, it

South America Art / Artists / Artisans Dance / Theatre / Performance Ethnofiction Film / Photography / Mass media Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[the-house-opening--Film-image]

The House-Opening 1980 45‘

Directed by Judith MacDougall .

When Geraldine Kawanka’s husband died, she and her children left their house at Aurukun on Cape York Peninsula. In earlier times a bark house would have been burnt, but today a ‘house-opening’

Australia Ritual Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Death

[ignacios-legacy--Film-image]

Ignacio’s Legacy 2016 52‘

Special Interest Directed by Titus Fossgard-Moser .

Between 1960 and 1992, the acclaimed documentary filmmaker Brian Moser made four films concerning indigenous peoples of northwest Amazonia: "Piraparana" (1960), "War of the Gods"

South America Film / Photography / Mass media Social Change Reflexivity Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[in-search-of-the-hamatsa-a-tale-of-headhunting--Film-image]

In Search of the Hamat’sa: A Tale of Headhunting 2004 33‘

Directed by Aaron Glass .

The Hamat’sa (or “Cannibal Dance”) is the most important—and highly represented ceremony of the Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakiutl) people of British Columbia. This film traces the history of

North America Archival material / Museum displays Dance / Theatre / Performance Ritual Informant-researcher relationship Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[land-of-udehe--Film-image]

Land of Udehe 2015 26‘

Student Directed by Ivan Golovnev .

This film takes us into the world of Udehe – indigenous people of the Far East of Russia. According to the census of 2010, their population dropped to 1,490 souls…

Central Asia and Far East Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Social Change

[link-up-diary--Film-image]

Link-up Diary 1997 86‘

Directed by David MacDougall .

The filmmaker goes on the road with Link-Up, an organisation which re-unites Aboriginal families separated in earlier decades by the New South Wales government. As the film shows, being reunited

Australia Resettlement Family / Kinship Collective / Community identity Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples

[namatjira-project--Film-image]

Namatjira Project 2017 87‘

Directed by Sera Davies .

An extraordinary first-hand account of the international battle to reclaim the artwork and heritage of one of Australia’s most important Indigenous figures: Albert Namatjira. Albert Namatjira was

Australia Art / Artists / Artisans Collective / Community identity Colonialism / Postcolonialism Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Law and Legislation / Bureaucracy Political Activists Race / Racism / Antiracism

[reclaiming-the-forest--Film-image]

Reclaiming the Forest 1987 39‘

Directed by Paul Henley Georges Drion .

National governments, itinerant gold-miners, and indigenous inhabitants compete for control of an area of the South American rainforest. The film shows the potential conflict between the interests

South America Land Rights Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Social Change Social Conflict

[ringtone--Film-image]

Ringtone 2014 30‘

Directed by Jennifer Deger Paul Wunungmurra .

Yolngu Aboriginal families offer glimpses into their lives and relationships through their choice of ringtones. From ancestral clan songs to 80s hip hop artists and local gospel tunes, these songs

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Music / Ethnomusicology Material Culture

[since-the-company-came--Film-image]

Since the Company Came 2001 52‘

Directed by Russel Hawkins .

Set in the South Pacific, in a remote Solomon Islands village, ‘Since the Company Came’ is the story of a community coming to terms with social, cultural and ecological disintegration. When village

Melanesia Land Rights Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Social Conflict Socioeconomic conditions

[stockmans-strategy--Film-image]

Stockman’s Strategy 1984 52‘

Directed by David MacDougall Judith MacDougall .

A film which explores the philosophy of teaching and learning of Sunny Bancroft, manager of an Aboriginal-run cattle station in northern New South Wales. It also tells the story of Shane Gordon, a

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Animals Education / Knowledge transmission

[the-storyteller--Film-image]

The Storyteller 1990 50‘

Student Directed by John Paul Davidson .

Unaware of the written word until the 1950s, the Waura tribe who live in the headwaters of the Xingu river in Brazil still practise the art of storytelling. Tribal storyteller Aruta recounts one of

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Dance / Theatre / Performance Religion / Belief / Faith

[sunny-and-the-dark-horse--Film-image]

Sunny and the Dark Horse 1986 86‘

Directed by David MacDougall Judith MacDougall .

A true story of a country family’s gradual involvement and growing passion for ‘picnic racing’. Sunny Bancroft is an Aboriginal cattle-station manager in New South Wales. With his

Australia Rural Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Animals

[totegrandfather--Film-image]

TOTE_Grandfather 2019 80‘

Main Competition Directed by María Sojob .

This film portrays an unexpected encounter between an old Tzotzil man, who is going blind, and his granddaughter, who does not remember her childhood well. The granddaughter, having grown up in the

Central America Indigenous Filmmaking Gender Role and Identity Family / Kinship Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Elderly people Love Intergenerational relations Linguistics / Language Memory

[takeover--Film-image]

Takeover 1980 90‘

Directed by David MacDougall Judith MacDougall .

On March 13, 1978 the Queensland Government announced its intention to take over management of Aurukun Aboriginal Reserve from the Uniting Church. The people of Aurukun complained bitterly, fearing

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Resistance Land Rights Social Conflict

[three-horsemen--Film-image]

Three Horsemen 1982 50‘

Directed by David MacDougall Judith MacDougall .

Bob Massey Pootchemunka has spent most of his life as a stockman and drover. Now over 75, his ambition is to see an all-Aboriginal cattle station operating at Ti-Tree on his traditional clan land.

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Herding Animals Land Rights

[tindaya-variations--Film-image]

Tindaya Variations 2018 40‘

Special Interest Directed by Isaac Marrero-Guillamon .

The mountain of Tindaya (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands) is more than a mountain. It was a sacred site for the indigenous people of Fuerteventura; later, its rock was quarried and sold for ornamental

Western Mediterranean Archival material / Museum displays Art / Artists / Artisans Environment Material Culture Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Archaeology

[to-get-that-country--Film-image]

To Get That Country 1978 70‘

Directed by David MacDougall .

An important historical film of events surrounding early meetings of the Northern Land Council in 1977, where uranium mining, land rights and Aboriginal leadership were the key issues.

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Land Rights Social Organisation

[a-transfer-of-power--Film-image]

A Transfer of Power 1986 22‘

Directed by Judith MacDougall David MacDougall .

Replacing the engine in an old car is a familiar rural task, but how people go about it differs. For these Aboriginal men in New South Wales, it’s an occasion for affirming continuing

Australia Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Education / Knowledge transmission Infrastructure / Transport

[uma-a-water-crisis-in-bolivia--Film-image]

Uma: a water crisis in Bolivia 2020 76‘

Directed by Ana 𝗟𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗿 .

Uma: a water crisis in Bolivia tells the story of three Andean indigenous communities in the highlands of Bolivia who are fighting to protect their water from diversion and contamination amid a

South America Environment Food / Water Gender Role and Identity Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Land Rights Political Activists Resistance Rural Social Conflict

[waiting-for-harry--Film-image]

Waiting for Harry 1980 57‘

Directed by Kim McKenzie .

Although the events around which this film was planned were the final mortuary rites for Les Angabarraparra, the subject of the film became interaction. Interaction between the anthropologist Les

Australia Informant-researcher relationship Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Death Reflexivity

[wasi--Film-image]

Wási 2017 16‘

Shorts Directed by Sebastián Gómez Ruíz Amado Villafaña Chaparro .

As the sun rises on a village in northern Colombia, we glimpse its inhabitants as they begin their day. As the scene emerges from obscurity, a voiceover reflects on the nature of sight. It is the

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Indigenous Filmmaking History of Anthropology Film / Photography / Mass media

[yanomami-from-machetes-to-mobile-phones--Film-image]

Yanomami: From Machetes to Mobile Phones 2012 58‘

Directed by Cliff Orloff and Olga Shalygin .

The Yanomami Indians are one of the last large relatively unacculturated indigenous groups remaining in the world. In November 2000 filmmakers Orloff and Shalygin documented the lives of a small

South America Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Material Culture Social Change