35mm Manganinnie (1980)

The Story

A visually stunning film that dares to tackle one of the most shameful periods in Australia's history, Manganinnie represents a bold early attempt to interrogate our colonial history.

Australia, 1830. Edward Waterman (Phillip Hinton) and his family arrive in a remote part of Tasmania (known at the time as Van Diemen's Land). Waterman is pressured into helping British colonial forces carry out the Black Line – enforced removal of Aborigines from land near white settlements. Aboriginal woman Manganinnie (Mawuyul Yanthalwuy) survives a Black Line raid which claims the life of her husband, Meenopeekameena (Buruminy Dhamarrandji).

During an innocent family outing in the wilderness, Waterman’s young daughter Joanna (Anna Ralph) becomes separated from her family leaving Manganinnie, who has been hiding in the area, to take Joanna into her care. Overcoming her initial mistrust of Manganinnie, Joanna joins her on a long journey in search of Manganinnie’s people.

Rating

G

Cast

Mawuyul Yanthalawuy, Anna Ralph, Phillip Hinton, Elaine Mangan, Mana Mana Dhammarrandji, Jarrka Dhammarrandji

Director

John Honey