Documentary Australia

Issue area

Indigenous

Documentaries provide a platform for First Nations voices, narratives, and perspectives to be heard while also informing and educating audiences about the history, struggles, and contemporary issues faced by Indigenous communities.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the original inhabitants of this continent, possessing a rich cultural heritage dating back more than 65,000 years. The arrival of British colonisers in 1788 marked the beginning of significant displacement, violence, and dispossession of Indigenous peoples from their lands, including assimilation policies that resulted in the Stolen Generations.  

Today, the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is evident across various social indicators, including health, education, employment, and incarceration rates. 

Documentaries provide a platform for First Nations voices, narratives, and perspectives to be heard while also informing and educating audiences about the history, struggles, and contemporary issues faced by First Nations communities. They often feature Indigenous activists, community leaders, and organisations advocating for Indigenous rights, self-determination, and social justice. 

Documentaries can also focus on initiatives and success stories within First Nations communities, showcasing efforts to improve education outcomes, preserve languages, and empower young Indigenous people. These stories highlight the resilience, strength, and achievements of individuals and communities in the face of adversity. 

 

Completed Documentary Australia-supported Indigenous-themed projects:

The Australian Wars In My Blood It Runs The Final Quarter
Where to watch: SBS Where to watch: Netflix, Apple TV, Vimeo Where to watch: Netflix, Doc Play
Zach’s Ceremony Undermined: Tales from the Kimberley Voices of the River
Where to watch: BINGE, DocPlay, Apple TV Where to watch: Apple TV, Google Play, DocPlay , Vimeo Where to watch: Facebook, Instagram

Films that need your support

Facing the Numbers

Tyson Perkins

$25,200

FUNDS RAISED

In My Blood It Runs

Maya Newell

$1,091,295

FUNDS RAISED

Other documentary projects in this issue area

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Issue Areas

Anthony Kelly

A story of resistance across generations, and the unrelenting struggle for justice in a country that remains in denial.

Tyson Perkins

The real life stories behind the appalling statistics of First Nations disadvantage in the criminal justice system.

In My Blood It Runs

Completed film

Maya Newell

History. Learning. Love. Resistance.

Fiona Mahl

IT WAS NEVER YOURS TO TAKE !!

Lara Sinclair

The Home Straight: two broken feet and an Olympic dream.

Daniel King

Antonia Burke, a former mining insider, journeys across Australia to uncover mining's true cost on Indigenous people.

Grace Mckenzie

A feature documentary based on Bruce Pascoe’s new book : Black Duck: A Year at Yumburra

Maggie Miles & Trisha Morton-Thomas

When Australia’s most renowned Indigenous actor David Gulpilil passes away far from his Homeland, his family struggle against huge logistical challenges to fulfill their promise, to guide his spirit safely back home.