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Ten Canoes (2006)
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Overview
User Rating:
Directors:
Writer:
Rolf de Heer (written by)
Release Date:
1 June 2006 (Italy)
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Tagline:
Ten canoes, three wives, one hundred and fifty spears...trouble more
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...
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| full synopsis
Awards:
15 wins
&
8 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
Rolf de Heer in print
(From FilmInk.com.au. 22 November 2009, 11:22 PM, PST)
"Australia" DVD review. Truly, this is one of the best films of 2008.
(From Movie Jungle. 17 February 2009)
(From FilmInk.com.au. 22 November 2009, 11:22 PM, PST)
"Australia" DVD review. Truly, this is one of the best films of 2008.
(From Movie Jungle. 17 February 2009)
User Comments:
Groundbreaking, impressive, amusing collaboration
more (37 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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 |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
10 Canoes (Australia) (alternative spelling)
10 Kanus, 150 Speere und 3 Frauen (Germany) [de]
10 canoës, 150 lances et 3 épouses (France) [fr]
10 canoe (Italy) [it]
10 varkes (Greece) [el]
Dez Canoas (Brazil) (festival title) [pt]
Diez canoas (Argentina) (festival title) [es]
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10 Kanus, 150 Speere und 3 Frauen (Germany) [de]
10 canoës, 150 lances et 3 épouses (France) [fr]
10 canoe (Italy) [it]
10 varkes (Greece) [el]
Dez Canoas (Brazil) (festival title) [pt]
Diez canoas (Argentina) (festival title) [es]
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
Australia:90 min | USA:90 min | Argentina:90 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
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:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
During shooting in the Northern Territory of Australia's remote Arafura Swamp, the crew required eleven crocodile spotters for safety of the cast and crew
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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.
[...]
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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.
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Followed by Twelve Canoes (2008)
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Groundbreaking, impressive collaboration between de Heer and Gulpilil, who had previously worked together on The Tracker four years previously, is the first feature film to be shot entirely in an Australian Indigenous language. Set well before the arrival of Europeans in Arnhem Land, the film is also the first film about Indigenous Australians that does not focus on disadvantage: while recognising Indigenous disadvantage (and its effects and causes) is of major importance in contemporary Australia, care must be taken to avoid the two descriptors "Indigenous" and "disadvantaged" being forever melded together. The film's subtle but powerful political message, that liberalism's "tolerance" must make way for communitarianism's "curiosity" and eventual "understanding" and related "acceptance", is one that should be promoted, perhaps in a new sub-genre of Australian film that tells Indigenous stories (including Dreamtime stories). While Ten Canoes is not a "great" film if one is assessing its pure content in isolation, its political and cultural implications and its pioneering vision assure it of a place in a highly selective canon of "great films", both in Australia and around the world.