Spear
Synopsis
Called a ” hybrid feature film”, Spear tells a contemporary Aboriginal story through movement and dance.
It follows a young Aboriginal man, Djali, as he journeys through his community to understand what it means to be a man with ancient traditions in a modern world.
Two Aboriginal clans from urban and remote communities live in an apocalyptic world and must decide who will be the new leader for the next 100 year cycle. Spear explores what this means to Aboriginal men through dance, physical movement, spoken word, hip hop, traditional song and story.
Featuring dancers from Stephen’s highly acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre, this is an intimate journey with one of Australia’s most celebrated artists as he brings this modern day mythology to the screen. Page took a 37-minute contemporary dance piece out of the theatre and into the world, from the bush to urban Sydney.
Beautifully shot, Spear is an abstract film made up of dance pieces in a warehouse, tunnels, a prison, a rock platform by the ocean and other less specific locations.
Spear is based on the work of the same name from Bangarra’s Skin double bill from 2000.
Tagline: “A foot in each world. A heart in none.”
Trailer
Details
- Cast
- Hunter Page-Lochard - Djali
Aaron Pedersen - Suicide Man
Djakapurra Munyarryun - Big Man
Romeo Munyarryun - Romeo
Elma Kris - Old Lady
Yolande Brown - Earth Spirit
Waangenga Blanco - Dingo Man
Leonard Mickelo - Abused Man
Nicola Sabatino - Woman Of Desire
Beau Dean Riley Smith - Alcohol Man
Kaine Sultan-Babij - Androgynous Man
Daniel Riley - Prison Man
Demela Wunungmurra - Old Man
Bangarra Dance Theatre dancers - Release dates
- 10 September 2015: World premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival
18 October 2015: Australian premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival
14 September 2016: European Premiere, Down Under Berlin Film Festival, Germany - Video/DVD release date
- 19 October 2016
- Rating
- PG - Parental guidance
- Notes
Spear is Stephen Page’s first full length feature film.
Language: English, Yolgnu Matha, Ka La Lagaw Ya.
Website: www.spear-film.com.au
Other films by Stephen Page
- 1928 Trooper O’Brien
- 1936 Uncivilised
- 1950 Bitter Springs
- 1955 Jedda
- 1958 Dust in the Sun
- 1960 Shadow of the Boomerang
- 1962 Wambidgee
- 1962 Alcheringa
- 1964 A Changing Race
- 1967 Journey out of Darkness
- 1967-1985 Walkabout With Malcolm Douglas
- 1971 Walkabout
- 1972 Ningla A-Na (Hungry For Our Land)
- 1972 Black Fire (Blackfire)
- 1973 Lurugu
- 1973 Come Out Fighting
- 1973 Basically Black
- 1974 Mourning For Mangatopi
- 1974 A Time to Dream
- 1974 The Unlucky Australians
- 1975 Sister, If You Only Knew
- 1975 Protected: The Truth About Palm Island
- 1975 Sons of Namatjira
- 1975 Malbangka Country
- 1976 Storm Boy
- 1976 Tjintu Pakani: Sunrise Awakening
- 1977 Backroads
- 1977 The Last Wave
- 1977 Journey Among Women
- 1978 The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
- 1978 My Survival As An Aboriginal
- 1978 The Last Tasmanian
- 1978 The Cake Man
- 1979 Takeover
- 1980 Manganinnie
- 1980 The House Opening
- 1980 Waiting For Harry
- 1981 Wrong Side of the Road
- 1981 Two Laws
- 1981 Backs To The Blast
- 1981 It’s A Long Road Back
- 1982 Three Horsemen
- 1982 We Fight (Guniwaya Ngigu)
- 1983 Lousy Little Sixpence
- 1983 Spear In The Stone
- 1983 Cass - No Saucepan Diver
- 1983 Welcome to Wee Waa
- 1984 Where The Green Ants Dream (Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen)
- 1984 Triumph of the Nomads
- 1984 Six Australians
- 1986 Babakiueria (“Barbecue Area”)
- 1986 The Secret Country: The First Australians Fight Back
- 1986 Backlash
- 1986 Short Changed
- 1986 My Spirit is Black
- 1987 How The West Was Lost
- 1987 The Fringe Dwellers
- 1987 Tudawali
- 1987 Link-Up Diary
- 1987 - current Nganampa Anwernekenhe
- 1988 Dreaming Of Lords
- 1988 Black Magic
- 1988 One People Sing Freedom
- 1988 Australia Daze
- 1988 Make It Right!
- 1988 Kadaicha (Stones of Death)
- 1988 The Dreaming
- 1988 88.9 Radio Redfern
- 1988 Eelemarni: The Story of Leo and Leva
- 1988 A Waltz Through the Hills
- 1989 Always Was Always Will Be
- 1989 Black Santa
- 1989 Land Bilong Islanders
- 1990 Night Cries: A Rural Tragedy
- 1990 No Fixed Address On Tour
- 1990 The Min-Min
- 1990 Quigley Down Under
- 1991 Bran Nue Dae (musical)
- 1991 Satellite Dreaming
- 1992 Deadly
- 1992 Jindalee Lady
- 1992 Black Man’s Houses
- 1993 Benny and the Dreamers
- 1993 Blackfellas (Day of the Dog)
- 1993 The Naked Country
- 1993 Bedevil (beDevil)
- 1993 Freedom Ride
- 1993 My Life As I Live It
- 1993 Mr Electric
- 1994 Beyond The Dreamtime
- 1994 Milli Milli
- 1994 Harold
- 1995 The Life of Harry Dare
- 1995 Fly Peewee Fly
- 1996 Coolbaroo Club
- 1996 No Way to Forget
- 1996 Pay Back
- 1996 Blacktracker
- 1996 Marn Grook
- 1996 From Sand to Celluloid
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