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Ronin Films

First Nations

PLEAD GUILTY, GET A BOND

Year: 1991

Classification: G

Runtime: 30 min

Produced In: Australia

Directed By: Peter Maguire

Produced By: Judi Lewin

Language: English

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Vimeo on demand

Amy Winthrop (Lillian Crombie) is a young Aboriginal woman who has been charged with wounding her husband Freddie (Thomas E. Lewis) during a domestic argument. It is expected by the local Magistrate and Police Sergeant who has brought the charge and by Amy herself that she will simply plead guilty and receive a good behaviour bond.

Colin McKenzie (Chris Haywood), the newly appointed and inexperienced Legal Aid Lawyer, is outraged by the expectations of all concerned and persuades Amy to plead her innocence and not be satisfied by an 'easy option'. From bush court to committal proceedings to the Supreme Court, he takes her through a bewildering legal process, a process that Amy feels will produce a less favourable outcome than the original good behaviour bond.

Finally Amy speaks for herself and proves her original down-to-earth approach correct. The issue most prominently raised in this comedy of errors is how inaccessible a non-Aboriginal judicial system can be when applied to Aboriginal culture.

  • WINNER! Best Short Film Screenplay - 1991 AFI Awards

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