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)
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]

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:

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

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 wry gem of a film that translates our contemporary values....

Australia's 2007 Oscar entry is a wry gem of a film that translates our contemporary values schema into a morality play set a thousand years ago in an indigenous tribe settlement somewhere near the Arafura Swamp in Australia's Northern Territory. Iconic Aborigine actor David Gulpilil (of "Walkabout" and "The Last Wave" fame) eloquently and drolly orates the film's triple narrative of native Australian lore that concerns itself with coveting, revenge, sorcery and even a dash of penis envy. Remarkable in its scope and mesmerising in its photography, director Rolf de Heer's idiosyncratic fascination with the interaction of human nature against nature is condensed into a simple but effective lesson of history repeating itself. Possibly venturing to rail against critics of the noble savagery belonging to the Aborigines, "Ten Canoes" allow us the positive enlightenment that comes from observing a different and alien culture operate on levels familiar to us.