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OCCUPATION: NATIVE

Year: 2017

Classification: PG

Runtime: 52 min

Produced In: Australia

Directed By: Trisha Morton Thomas with Craig Anderson

Produced By: Meredith Garlick, Rachel Clements, Trisha Morton-Thomas

Language: English

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WINNER! 2018 ATOM Award for Best Indigenous Video!

The Aboriginal story is often buried deep beneath the accepted 250-year Australian historical narrative. It's not that the Australian story is wrong, it's just that it's a wee bit one-sided. Aboriginal filmmaker Trisha Morton-Thomas, bites back at Australian history in this inspired satire.

All was well in Aboriginal Australia. People thrived and life was good, people were happy, and then ... all hell broke loose.

Captain James Cook, a hero to most Australians but a thief to Aboriginal people, stole the continent with a British flag. Of course, the Aboriginal people had no idea what Cook was up to. They continued on with their lives, blissfully unaware that their 80,000 year kinship with their lands was about to be tested beyond their worst nightmares.

Aboriginal people fought back against white domination, but numbers and guns were against them. In a long, ugly war, brave men, women and children died in defence of their country, yet the European narrative buried their heroic stand and failed to mention their names and deeds.

And yet the voices of Black Australia would not be quieted. Their spirit and resilience became a contemporary political issue, and the concept of reconciliation became an ideological mantra. Achieving that goal became a political football for decades, and is still getting a good kick around the park today.

VIEW THE TRAILER HERE: vimeo.com/546267760

NOMINATED FOR 2 ATOM AWARDS, 2018 - for Best Historical Documentary and Best Indigenous Resource.

Presenter, writer and director Trisha Morton-Thomas
Producers Rachel Clements, Meredith Garlick, Trisha Morton-Thomas
Comedy Director Craig Anderson
Director of Photography Tim Alewood
Editor James Bradley ASE
Original music Caitlin Yeo
Art Director and Costume Designer Barbara Doran
Graphics General Ludd

Featuring
Trisha Morton-Thomas, Steven Oliver, Ian Meadows, Justin Smith, Jeremy Ambrum

A Brindle Films production
Developed and produced in association with Screen Territory and NITV
Principal Funder, Screen Australia

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