Ten Canoes (2006)

Directors:

Rolf de Heer
Peter Djigirr

Writer:

Rolf de Heer (writer)

Release Date:

1 June 2006 (Italy)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | History

Tagline:

Ten canoes, three wives, one hundred and fifty spears...trouble

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Swamp | Nudity | Nonlinear Timeline | Sorcerer | Kangaroo

Awards:

14 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Crusoe Kurddal	...	Ridjimiraril
Jamie Gulpilil	...	Dayindi / Yeeralparil (as Jamie Dayindi Gulpilil Dalaithngu)
Richard Birrinbirrin	...	Birrinbirrin
Peter Minygululu	...	Minygululu
Frances Djulibing	...	Nowalingu
David Gulpilil	...	The Storyteller (as David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu)
Sonia Djarrabalminym	...	Banalandju
Cassandra Malangarri Baker	...	Munandjarra
Philip Gudthaykudthay	...	The Sorcerer
Peter Djigirr	...	Canoeist / The Victim / Warrior
Michael Dawu	...	Canoeist / The Stranger
Bobby Bunungurr	...	Canoeist / Uncle
Johnny Buniyira	...	Canoeist / Warrior
Gil Birmingham	...	Canoeist / Warrior (as Billy Black)
Steven Wilinydjanu Maliburr	...	Canoeist / Warrior

Also Known As:

10 Canoes (Australia) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

Argentina:90 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival) | USA:90 min | Australia:90 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

Aboriginal | English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Ireland:15A | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Hong Kong:IIA | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | USA:Unrated | Australia:M | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Arafura Swamp, Northern Territory, Australia

Company:

Adelaide Film Festival

Trivia:

The title "Ten Canoes" was inspired by a photograph shown to Director Rolf de Heer by Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil. The picture was of group of ten native men in their bark canoes on the Arafura swamp. The photo was taken by anthropologist Dr Donald Thomson who worked in central and north-eastern Arnhem Land seventy years earlier during the mid-1930s.

A wry gem of a film that translates our contemporary values....

Australia's 2007 Oscar entry is a wry gem of a film that translates our contemporary values schema into a morality play set a thousand years ago in an indigenous tribe settlement somewhere near the Arafura Swamp in Australia's Northern Territory. Iconic Aborigine actor David Gulpilil (of "Walkabout" and "The Last Wave" fame) eloquently and drolly orates the film's triple narrative of native Australian lore that concerns itself with coveting, revenge, sorcery and even a dash of penis envy. Remarkable in its scope and mesmerising in its photography, director Rolf de Heer's idiosyncratic fascination with the interaction of human nature against nature is condensed into a simple but effective lesson of history repeating itself. Possibly venturing to rail against critics of the noble savagery belonging to the Aborigines, "Ten Canoes" allow us the positive enlightenment that comes from observing a different and alien culture operate on levels familiar to us.