Our Warrior: The story of Robbie Thorpe

Genocide, Sovereignty & Treaty, (Genocide to end, Sovereignty acknowledged, Treaty to be made), the three core goals espoused by Robbie’s lifetime of activism stand on the radical edge of indigenous politics in Australia.

Mainstream engagement with each of these areas is growing. There is no denying that each speak to the core legal, moral, ethical, historical and contemporary understandings of Australia.

This film, like Robbie’s activism, will provoke, engage and bring focus to the critical conversations we need to have. It will show how decades of grassroots activism have created the political conditions for major systemic and transformational changes, including the signing of Australia’s first Treaty between First Peoples and an Australian government.

If Australians are to be fully cognizant of First Peoples demands and possible pathways forward, then all voices in the debate need to be heard – not just those who have national platforms already.

Subjects in this film are at the very forefront of the debates around Treaty, sovereignty and decolonization with extensive networks of grassroots support. Uncle Robbie, the Thorpe family and others have informed the projects’ direction throughout.

The sheer scale of the annual Invasion Day marches around Australia each 26 January are shaking the countries foundations. The growing calls to change the date or to totally abolish Australia’s national day of celebration, are but one indication of the rapidly growing interest in the subject matter covered in Our Warrior: The story of Robbie Thorpe. Calls for a Treaty with First Nations in Australia are growing louder every year.

The younger generation of Indigenous activists in Australia, some of whom feature in this film are eagerly seeking out, consuming and promoting this sort of content. There is a call for stories that tell of heroes and of struggle. Like all good movement documentaries the producers hope that Our Warrior will both capture history, and contribute to it.

The film’s impact strategy and QandA’s, forums and local special event screening will aim to generate discussion and engagement and support local struggles and campaigns.