Ten Canoes (2006)

Directors:

Rolf de Heer
Peter Djigirr

Writer:

Rolf de Heer (written by)

Release Date:

1 June 2006 (Italy)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Ten canoes, three wives, one hundred and fifty spears...trouble

Plot:

A story within a story. In Australia's Northern Territory, a man tells us one of the stories of his people and his land...

Plot Keywords:

Story | Brother | Australia | Ancestor | Stranger

Awards:

15 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Crusoe Kurddal	...	Ridjimiraril
Jamie Gulpilil	...	Dayindi / Yeeralparil (as Jamie Dayindi Gulpilil Dalaithngu)
Richard Birrinbirrin	...	Birrinbirrin
Peter Minygululu	...	Minygululu
Frances Djulibing	...	Nowalingu
David Gulpilil	...	The Storyteller (as David Gulpilil Ridjimiraril Dalaithngu)
Sonia Djarrabalminym	...	Banalandju
Cassandra Malangarri Baker	...	Munandjarra
Philip Gudthaykudthay	...	The Sorcerer
Peter Djigirr	...	Canoeist / The Victim / Warrior
Michael Dawu	...	Canoeist / The Stranger
Bobby Bunungurr	...	Canoeist / Uncle
Johnny Buniyira	...	Canoeist / Warrior
Billy Black	...	Canoeist / Warrior
Steven Wilinydjanu Maliburr	...	Canoeist / Warrior
Carl Dhalurruma	...	Canoeist / Warrior
Kathy Gonun	...	Birrinbirrin's Wife #1
Jennifer Djenana	...	Birrinbirrin's Wife #2
Sylvia Nupunya Gaykamangu	...	Camp Woman
Silvia Gapany Gaykamangu	...	Camp Woman
Evonne Munuygu	...	Camp Woman
Mary Dhapalany	...	Camp Woman
Valerie Malibirr	...	Camp Woman
Julie Djelrr	...	Camp Woman
Susan Maliburr	...	Camp Woman
Belinda Gundjulma	...	Camp Woman
Madeline Gaykamangu	...	Camp Woman
Monica Maminyinawny	...	Camp Woman
Shirley Banalanydju	...	Camp Woman
Rico Pascoe	...	Honey Boy / Messenger
Scott Gaykamangu	...	Honey Boy
Albert Gaykamangu	...	Stranger's Man
Sammy Dhurrkay	...	Stranger's Man
Meriyl Gaykamangu	...	Stranger's Man
George Gaykamangu	...	Stranger's Man
Jeffrey Buinyinyinwuiny	...	Wrong Stranger
Lindsay Mace Gaykamangu	...	Painted Warrior
Obert Durrungu
Dino Wanybarrngu
Phoenix Maliburr
John Maliburr
Malachi Gurrulpa
Roslyn Maliburr
Jasmin Maliburr
Jayden Maliburr
Naomi Garrawuarra
Dimitrius Durrur
John Yarralmuka
Daniel Gurrulpa
Hilston Gurrulpa
Ryan Maliburr
Serena Maliburr
Alison Durrunga
Marissa Garrawuarra
Jordan Maliburr
Aristas Durrur
Vanessa Yirwirri

Directed by
Rolf de Heer
Peter Djigirr

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Rolf de Heer		written by

Produced by
Richard Birrinbirrin	....	associate producer
Rolf de Heer	....	producer
Bryce Menzies	....	executive producer
Sue Murray	....	executive producer
Nils Erik Nielsen	....	associate producer
Domenico Procacci	....	executive producer
Julie Ryan	....	producer
Belinda Scott	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Ian Jones

Film Editing by
Tania Nehme

Production Design by
Beverly Freeman

Art Direction by
Beverly Freeman

Set Decoration by
Beverly Freeman

Costume Design by
Beverly Freeman

Makeup Department
Beverly Freeman	....	key hair stylist
Beverly Freeman	....	makeup department head

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karen Mahood	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Beverly Freeman	....	set dresser

Sound Department
James Currie	....	sound designer
James Currie	....	sound recordist
James Currie	....	sound supervisor
Tom Heuzenroeder	....	sound designer
Tom Heuzenroeder	....	sound editor
Rory McGregor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Adrian Medhurst	....	foley artist
Tania Nehme	....	narration editor

Visual Effects by
Jamie Hediger	....	compositor
Michelle Hunt	....	digital compositor
Matthew North	....	compositor
Takahiro Suzuki	....	digital compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Tobias Andersson	....	gaffer
Ricky Schamburg	....	first assistant camera

Editorial Department
Jon Armstrong	....	editor technical supervisor
Olivier Fontenay	....	digital colorist
Nick Meyers	....	Final Cut Pro consultant
Anthos Simon	....	digital intermediate producer

Other crew
Kate Croser	....	production coordinator
Jonathan Dixon	....	digital liaison
Mark Kraus	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Adelaide Film Festival
• Fandango Australia
• Fandango
• Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) (SBS Independent)
• Vertigo Productions Pty. Ltd.

Distributors

• Cinemien (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Kinosmith (2006) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Memento Films International (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Memento Films (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Palace Films (2006) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Palm Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Rosebud (2006) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Wild Bunch (2006) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Alamode Film (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Odeon (2007) (Greece) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cameraquip Australia  camera equipment provided by
• Adelaide Film Festival  financing (as AFF Investment Fund)
• South Australian Film Corporation, The  sound post-production

Also Known As:

10 Canoes (Australia) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

Australia:90 min | USA:90 min | Argentina:90 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Australia

Language:

Aboriginal | English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Argentina:13 | USA:Unrated | Germany:12 | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

Arafura Swamp, Northern Territory, Australia

Company:

Adelaide Film Festival

Trivia:

The canoes in the film were made according to original tribal methods, using directions from tribal elders who had not made them for some fifty years.

Quotes:

The group: [all walking in a line]
Canoeist: Everyone stop!
[all stop and turn]
The Storyteller: That one is Djigirr. Djigirr talk too much, but maybe he heard something.
Canoeist: I refuse to walk at the end. Someone ahead keeps farting.
The group: [laughter] Not me. Not me.
Canoeist: It's you again. You're always so silent. Silent but deadly. Admit it.
Canoeist: Alright, it's me.
Canoeist: You're rotten inside.
Canoeist: I'm rotten inside.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Followed by Twelve Canoes (2008)

a stone age comedy for a new century

I encourage you to also read the other comments on this site for TEN CANOES as each also will add to the clear understanding of this astonishing Australian film by master film maker Rolf DeHeer. He is a Dutch immigrant to Australia whose unique look at this country has now produced a superb library of films each different, that contribute to a fascinating movie spectrum of impressions of Australian life. TEN CANOES is an Aboriginal parable set possibly ten thousand years ago. It has hilarious casual dialog and familiar situations depicting tribal family and community life that humanizes this people in a heightened way so accessible to audiences of 2007. At this time in a new century we are now blessed with a sequence of Australian aboriginal themed films I encourage you to find and view in their production order: JEDDA directed by Charles Chauvel in 1956, WALKABOUT d: Nicolas Roeg in 1970, STORM BOY in 1976, THE LAST WAVE d: Peter Weir in 1977, RABBIT PROOF FENCE d; Phil Noyce in 2003, THE TRACKER d Roldf De Heer, and now TEN CANOES. Incredibly and as a bonus celebrated Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil features in all of them except Jedda... and as a bonus in theme, his son Jamie is the lead actor in TEN CANOES with David narrating. TEN CANOES will take you to a reality and a community unlike anything ever depicted in any film ever. As alike those above, it is presented and magnificently filmed in cinemascope differently to any Australian (or 'primitive') feature I have ever had the fascinating engrossing pleasure of seeing. Just to study the timeless faces alone is a peep into history and often delivered with very funny and genuinely suspenseful and heartwarming results. De Heer is now a film maker par excellence now finally getting major recognition in this country with a broad range of different and arresting films unlike any other film maker I can name. just for starters, check out the comments for BAD BOY BUBBY, ALEXANDRA'S PROJECT, THE QUIET ROOM, alone for a jaw dropping range of themes. Even if you see TEN CANOES and find the journey into the Australian stone age initially difficult, you will be astonished at the visuals presented and in awe of the fact this was ever captured on film with such humor and accessible humanities.