Plot

Displeased with the intervention of whitefella laws, Charlie takes off to live the old way and sets off a chain reaction of enlightening difficulties.

Blackfella Charlie is out of sorts. The intervention is making life more difficult on his remote community, what with the proper policing of whitefella laws now. So Charlie takes off, to live the old way, but in so doing sets off a chain of events in his life that has him return to his community chastened, and somewhat the wiser.—Cannes Film Festival

Living in a remote Aboriginal community in the northern part of Australia, Charlie is a warrior past his prime. As the government increases its stronghold over the community's traditional way of life, Charlie becomes lost between two cultures.

Living in a remote Aboriginal community in the northern part of Australia, Charlie (David Gulpilil) is a warrior past his prime. As the government increases its stranglehold over the community's traditional way of life, Charlie becomes lost between two cultures. His new modern life offers him a way to survive but, ultimately, it is one he has no power over. Finally fed up with his gun, his newly crafted spear and his best friend's jeep are confiscated, Charlie heads into the wild on his own, to live the old way. However, Charlie hasn't reckoned on where he might end up, nor on how much life has changed since the old days... (original DVD description)—Rawhyd