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

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)

Ten Canoes is outstanding cinema

On a recent visit to Melbourne, I came across a poster for the movie Ten Canoes. It described a film about Australian Aborigines and claimed to portray them authentically. The film sets a new standard for cross-cultural understanding. Ever since Whale Rider I have been entranced by movies about aboriginal culture. This film extends the genre onto a higher plane.

The narrator tells a story about men hunting for goose eggs in canoes while one tells a story from the ancient times. Both stories are woven exquisitely together to form a dream-like telling. The cinematography captures the actual remote locations the tribe inhabits. The characters are portrayed as authentically as can be, probably because they are. (At least, it seemed that way to a white guy from Boston.) I don't know if any are actual actors.

If you have interest in any aboriginal culture or anything Australian, you should see this movie. If you love great story telling, you must see it.