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Where the Green Ants Dream

Original title: Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen
  • 19841984
  • RR
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
  • Drama
A geologist employed by an Australian mining company finds himself disputing the rights of some aborigines who believe their land to be sacred.A geologist employed by an Australian mining company finds himself disputing the rights of some aborigines who believe their land to be sacred.A geologist employed by an Australian mining company finds himself disputing the rights of some aborigines who believe their land to be sacred.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Werner Herzog
  • Writers
    • Werner Herzog
    • Bob Ellis(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Spence
    • Wandjuk Marika
    • Roy Marika
Top credits
  • Director
    • Werner Herzog
  • Writers
    • Werner Herzog
    • Bob Ellis(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Spence
    • Wandjuk Marika
    • Roy Marika
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 15User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Photos52

    Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Nick Lathouris and Bruce Spence in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Colleen Clifford in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Colleen Clifford and Bruce Spence in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Wandjuk Marika in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Bruce Spence in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Gary Williams in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)
    Roy Marika and Wandjuk Marika in Where the Green Ants Dream (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruce Spence
    Bruce Spence
    • Lance Hackett
    Wandjuk Marika
    Wandjuk Marika
    • Miliritbi
    Roy Marika
    Roy Marika
    • Dayipu
    Ray Barrett
    Ray Barrett
    • Cole
    Norman Kaye
    Norman Kaye
    • Baldwin Ferguson
    Ralph Cotterill
    Ralph Cotterill
    • Fletcher
    Nick Lathouris
    Nick Lathouris
    • Arnold
    Basil Clarke
    Basil Clarke
    • Judge Blackburn
    Ray Marshall
    • Solicitor General Coulthard
    Dhungala I. Makika
    Dhungala I. Makika
    • Malila, 'The Mute'
    Gary Williams
    Gary Williams
    • Watson
    Tony Llewellyn-Jones
    Tony Llewellyn-Jones
    • Fitzsimmons
    Robert Brissenden
    • Professor Stanner
    Michael Edols
    • Young attorney
    Bob Ellis
    • Supermarket manager
    Susan Graeves
    • Secretary
    Marraru Wunungmurra
    • Daisy Barunga
    Max Fairchild
    Max Fairchild
    • Police Officer
    • Director
      • Werner Herzog
    • Writers
      • Werner Herzog
      • Bob Ellis(additional dialogue)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The whole story of the green ants was made up by Werner Herzog, it's not a part of genuine Aboriginal folklore. However the courtroom incident where a secret artifact is revealed, to the bemusement of the judge, is based on a real incident.
    • Quotes

      Lance Hackett: The situation, your Honor, is this man is the the sacred custodian to the secrets of this tribe. And his tribe has died out. He is the sole and final survivor of his people, his clan. They call him the mute, because there is nobody left on this earth for him to speak with.

    • Connections
      Featured in To the End of the World... and Then a Little Bit Further (1989)
    • Soundtracks
      Requiem Op. 48
      Music by Gabriel Fauré

    User reviews15

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Excellent study on human nature....
    This film has been ignored by the mainstream media. It portrays the futile struggle of an Aboriginal tribe against the needs of civilization. From the first confrontation you know how it will end, but you keep hoping that perhaps the mindless and soul-less rush of progress won't wipe out one more culture.

    Herzog captures the story in a series of vignettes, each one expressing a fleeting thought or detail.

    At one point Bruce Spence is trying to explain his theory of space and time to one of the elders, who rebukes him. His reply to the elder is "I'm trying to understand, really I am." The movie is a predecessor to "Rabbit Proof Fence". It makes you realize that as a society we just don't get it.

    I highly recommend it.
    helpful•15
    3
    • wlebing
    • Feb 26, 2004

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 8, 1985 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • Australia
    • Official site
      • Werner Herzog
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen
    • Filming locations
      • The Breakaways, Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia
    • Production companies
      • Pro-ject Filmproduktion
      • Werner Herzog Filmproduktion
      • Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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