Yolngu Boy (2001)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Stephen Johnson

Writer:

Chris Anastassiades (written by)

Release Date:

22 March 2001 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Lorrpu, Botj and Milika are three Yolngu (Aboriginal) teenagers who once shared a childhood dream of becoming great hunters together...

Plot Keywords:

Aboriginal | Forest | Friend | Instinct | Football

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Sean Mununggurr	...	Botj
John Sebastian Pilakui	...	Lorrpu
Nathan Daniels	...	Milika
Lirrina Mununggurr	...	Yuwan
Makuma Yunupingu	...	Matjala
Nungki Yunupingu	...	Dawu
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew Galitju Burarrwanga	...	Dhunthun
Garry Dhurrkay	...	Umpire
Jose Element	...	Policeman at Wharf (as Joe Clements)
Grant Gambley	...	Djarrak Player
Merrki Ganambarr	...	Botj's Mother
Garritjpi Garawirrtja	...	Botj (9 years)
Gerard Buyan Garrawurra	...	Lunginy
Gurumin Marika	...	Crowd #1
Maggie Miles	...	Snorkel Woman
Allyson Mills	...	Crying Woman
Buwata Mununggurr	...	Milika (9 years)
Buywarri Mununggurr	...	Lorrpu(9 Years)
Vernon Kenneth Lesley Patullo	...	Football Coach
Jack Thompson	...	Policeman (as Gurkula)
Yithangarra Wunungmurra	...	Ruwu
Balupalu Yunupingu	...	Milika's Father
Lalambarri Yunupingu	...	Lorrpu's Father
Malati Yunupingu	...	Botj's Dad
Mangatjay Yunupingu	...	Maralitja Man
Mary Yunupingu	...	Ngarli Woman at Hospital

Runtime:

88 min | Italy:85 min (Giffoni Film Festival)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English | Gumatj

Color:

Color (Cinevex)

Certification:

Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

Company:

Australian Children's Television Foundation

Interesting movie - animal lovers, beware

This is an interesting movie about three Australian Aboriginal teenagers, from Arnhem Land, who are in trouble with the law. In an advanced capitalist society like Australia, their chances to succeed in life seems about nil. The movie is a kind of fantasy in which they become men by escaping civilization and fleeing to the wild, submerging themselves into the traditions of their culture and becoming hunters. This is great for them, but it's terrible for the local fauna, who gets a real beating from the boys (the scene where a huge turtle is killed by the teenagers leaves a particular bad taste). Of course, in real life, it's white people that have destroyed the environment around the world; aboriginal people tend to live in equilibrium with nature. Still, I found a bit troubling the equivalence of newly found self-respect with hunting.