Samson & Delilah
Warwick Thornton | Australia 2009 | 101 min
Aboriginal teenagers Samson and Delilah live in an isolated community outside Alice Springs, about 1,500 kms south of Darwin. Delilah
spends her days caring for and painting with her Nana, Samson is a chronic petrol sniffer who has cast his eyes on Delilah.
When Delilah is blamed by community women for her Nana's death and violence intervenes in the teenagers' lives, they steal a
communal car and head for Alice Springs, a place no safer than their community.
They shelter under a bridge in the town's dry river bed and Samson's sniffing and isolation worsen. Delilah
is traumatised by two terrible events and their future seems bleak.
As they discover how harsh life can be for a pair of homeless kids, they also fall in love.
Samson & Delilah resonates with truth and will open the eyes of all those who mistakenly believe the hard-won
apology given by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
made life better for the first inhabitants.
It's my life—everything in that film I've seen and I wanted to show the world what Alice Springs is like.
It has the most beautiful angels and the most evil devils. —Warwick Thornton, director of Samson & Delilah
| Cast |
Marissa Gibson
Rowan MacNamara
Mitjili Gibson
Scott Thornton
The Desert Mulga Band
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Delilah
Samson
Nana
Gonzo
The Verandah Band
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| Release dates |
8 May 2009 - Australia
22 April 2010 - Netherlands
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| Video/DVD Release Date |
25 November 2009 - Australia
21 June 2010 - UK
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| Awards |
Audience Award: Best Feature - Adelaide Film Festival 2009
Best First Film - Camera d'Or for first time filmmakers, Cannes film festival 2009
Major Australian Writer's Guild (AWGIE) award 2009 (most outstanding Australian script) and
AWGIE Original Feature Film award 2009
SHOWTIME Inside Film Best Film Award 2009
Best Feature Film - Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) 2009
2009 Film of the Year - Catholic Film Office
Best Film, Best Direction, Best Original Screenplay - Australian Film Industry Awards 2009
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| Rating |
MA+ (strong substance abuse)
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| Language level |
not available
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| Distributor |
Footprint Films (Australia)
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| Soundtrack |
Various artists, see track listing (released 29 Jun 2009)
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| Genre |
Drama
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| Notes |
- This is Warwick Thornton's first feature film.
- Warwick is from the Katej people of Central Australia and grew up in Alice Springs.
- Gonzo is played by Thornton's real-life alcoholic brother Scott whose nickname actually is 'Gonzo'.
- Warwick has trouble spelling because he didn't go to school. His wife transcribed the manuscript.
- Warwick Thornton's nickname Prince of Darkness comes from his love to use as few lights as possible.
- The main character's names reflect that because of the missions Aboriginal people have a lot of biblical
names.
- The 'Making of Samson & Delilah' was shot by Aboriginal director Beck Cole.
- Website: www.samsonanddelilah.com.au
- Other films by Warwick Thornton:
- Photographic Memory: A Portrait of Mervyn Bishop (1999)
- Green Bush (2005)
- Mimi (2002)
- Country Song (2008)
- Yeperenye Federation Festival: The Road Ahead Concert (2003)
- Rosalie's Journey (2003)
- Nana (2007)
- Pay Back (1996)
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| Find this movie |
Indigenous film suppliers and distributors
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Australian cinema is never going to be the same.—The Age
One of the most wonderful films this country has ever produced.—At The Movies program
The best love film we've seen for many a year.—Cannes jury member Isabelle Adjani
Samson and Delilah is a powerfully confronting film which presents the complexities and realities
of everyday life for many young Indigenous people.—Scott Wilson, Chairman, Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation
Hopefully [Samson & Delilah] will serve as a wake up call to the continuing apathy displayed by the dominant culture in this
country toward the plight of disadvantaged Aborigines. —review on TwoFlatWhites.com
This groundbreaking, moving film brings [a reality] to the many Australians who don't have a clue just how
tough life must be for Indigenous Australians. —review on Cinephilia
It's a remarkable achievement in cinema and steps beyond what most filmmakers are trying to achieve. —Aden Young, actor
Samson & Delilah soundtrack
| CD |
Samson & Delilah soundtrack (2009) |
| Tracks |
- Charley Pride - Sunshiny Day
- Desert Mulga Band - Come Back Again
- Desert Mulga Band - Wild Band Song #1
- Ilkari Maru - Tjamu Tjamu
- Ana Gabriel - Mi Talisman
- Desert Mulga Band - Wild Band Song #2
- The Tableland Drifters - Wasting Your Life
- Desert Mulga Band - Wild Band Song #3
- Ana Gabriel - Como Olvidar
- Lajamanu Teenage Band - Warlpiri Woman
- Warwick Thornton - S4d Sad Song
- Warwick Thornton - S4d Sad Song
- Warwick Thornton - Turkish Coffee
- Scott Thornton - Jesus Gonna Be There
- Warwick Thornton - S4d 1 Rock
- Troy Cassar-daley - Night Blindness
- Charley Pride - All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)
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Making Samson & Delilah
Don't miss the making of Samson and Delilah, a documentary by Beck Cole.
Where to from here?
