Yolngu Boy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yolngu Boy
DVD cover
Directed by	Stephen Maxwell Johnson
Produced by	Patricia Edgar M. Yunupingu Galarrwuy Yunupingu Gordon Glenn
Written by	Chris Anastassiades
Starring	Sean Mununggurr John Sebastian Pilakui Nathan Daniels
Music by	Mark Ovenden
Cinematography	Brad Shield
Editing by	Ken Sallows
Release date(s)	22 March 2001 (2001-03-22)
Running time	85 minutes
Country	Australia
Language	English
Money made	$645,700

Yolngu Boy is an Australian film from 2001. It's a coming-of-age story directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson. The movie was produced by Patricia Edgar, Gordon Glenn, Galarrwuy Yunupingu, and Mandawuy Yunupingu. It stars Sean Mununggurr, John Sebastian Pilakui, and Nathan Daniels.

The film is about three Aboriginal teenage boys. They are connected by their culture and a shared dream. They want to become great Yolngu hunters. Their home is a remote community called Yirrkala in North-East Arnhem Land, Australia.

Yolngu Boy shows their journey between two worlds. They hunt wild animals with spears in the morning. In the afternoon, they play football and listen to hip hop music. Many people from the local community helped make this film.

Meet the Characters

• John Sebastian Pilakui – Lorrpu
• Sean Mununggurr – Botj
• Nathan Daniels – Milika
• Lirrina Mununggur – Yuwan
• Makuma Yunupingu – Matjala
• Nungki Yunupingu – Dawu
• Mangatjay Yunupingu – Maralitja Man
• Gurkula (Jack Thompson) – Policeman
• Gerard Buyan Garrawurra – Lunginy

Making the Movie

The film Yolngu Boy was a special project. It was made with the help of Stephen Johnson's company, Burrundi Pictures. Gordon Glenn also helped produce the film. The community of Yirrkala gave their full support. Many local people worked on the film's cast and crew.

Working with the Community

In 1996, the filmmakers visited Arnhem Land. They met with the Yirrkala community leaders. They discussed ideas for workshops and a feature film. Elder Gulumbu Mununggurr confirmed the community's interest.

Yolngu Boy was the first Australian film with all Indigenous lead actors. The Yolngu people worked closely with the filmmakers. Galarrwuy Yunupingu and Mandawuy Yunupingu were associate producers. They advised on the script, casting, and cultural details.

Director Stephen Johnson said the families were excited. They wanted the film to show their youth culture. They also wanted it to reflect the challenges they face.

Acting Workshops

Workshops were held for young Yolngu people in 1996. These workshops taught acting skills and filmmaking basics. About 60 children attended. They learned movement, acting, and character development. The goal was for them to feel proud of the film.

Filming Locations

The film was shot entirely in the Northern Territory. Filming took seven weeks in late 1999. They filmed in remote areas of North East Arnhem Land. They also filmed in Kakadu and Darwin.

Some scenes needed special permission. For example, a scene at Lightning Dreaming took months to arrange. This shows how important it was to respect local traditions.

Finding the Actors

The casting director, Maggie Miles, looked for actors. She visited many communities in the Northern Territory. She screened about 1,000 boys for the three main roles. Sixteen boys were chosen for a final workshop.

Sean Mununggurr is from Gapuwiyak. John Sebastian Pilakui and Nathan Daniels are from Bathurst Island. All three were 15 years old during filming. English is their second language. They had never acted before Yolngu Boy.

Film Release

The film's first showing was on January 31, 2001. It happened in Yirrkala at an outdoor cinema. About 300 local Yolngu people attended. Many of them had helped make the film.

Other premieres followed in major Australian cities. Yolngu Boy was released in cinemas across Australia in March 2001.

Screenings for Teachers

Free screenings were held for teachers across Australia. This happened in December 2001. A study guide was given to teachers. It covered themes like friendship and culture. This helped teachers use the film in their classes.

Inspired Youth Program

A group of teenage boys from Sunbury, Victoria, visited the film's producer. They had seen Yolngu Boy and were very moved by it. They wanted to learn more about the film's making. The film had a big impact on them.

Film Distribution

Yolngu Boy was shown in many countries. It was sold to TV channels in Israel and Bulgaria. Video deals were made in the UK. The film was also shown in Canada.

In 2003, the Australian Children's Television Foundation took over international distribution. They sold the film to Finland.

Box Office Success

Yolngu Boy earned $645,700 at the box office in Australia.

What People Thought

Many people praised Yolngu Boy. They called it an important film.

• Dr David Kemp, a government minister, said it was a "sensitive but dramatic treatment" of identity.
• Peter Thompson from Channel 9 called it "probably the most important Australian film of the year."
• Michael Gorton, from Australians for Reconciliation, said it was a "terrific contribution to the reconciliation process."
• Michael Long, a football player, said, "The dream is stronger than the goal."
• The Hon Peter McGauran MP called it "insightful, original and intensely compelling."
• James Brandis from WA Post said it was a "masterpiece of community spirit."
• The Hon. Philip Ruddock said it was "confronting and humbling."
• Deb Cox, a TV creator, said it showed "great insight into a culture that white Australians know nothing about."
• The Hon. Steve Bracks MP, Premier of Victoria, said it was "realistic and, at times, confronting."
• Tom Ryan from Sunday Age called it a "compelling adventure yarn with a brain."
• Margaret Pomeranz from SBS Movie Show said it showed "parts of Australian life you've never seen before."

Soundtrack Music

The film's soundtrack features these songs:

• Kakadu – M.Yunupingu
• Neva Mend – Nokturnl
• Black Bugs – Regurgitator
• Gapu – Yothu Yindi
• Poisonous Love/Ghost Spirit – Yothu Yindi
• Treaty – Yothu Yindi
• Surrender – Songlines Music Aboriginal Corporation
• Farewell – Garmadi Community, Co-Ordinated by Laura Naborhiborhl

Film Website

A website for Yolngu Boy was launched in 2001. It had a trailer, behind-the-scenes clips, and information about Yolngu culture. There was also a study guide for teachers.

Yolngu Artwork

Two painted panels from the film are now at Melbourne Museum. These are copies of the Yirrkala Church Panels. They were painted by Yolngu artists Gaymala Yunupingu, her sister Gulumbu Yunupingu, and Dhuwarrwarr Marika. The panels are 4 meters high. They show important ancestral images for the people of Arnhem Land. The film's producers donated them to the museum for everyone to see.

Awards Won

John Sebastian Pilakui won an award for his acting. He received the Young Actors’ Award at the 2001 AFI Awards. This was for his role as Lorrpu.

See also

• Cinema of Australia