We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of New South Wales stands.

Film series: Papua New Guinea stories 11 June – 20 July 2014

By Robert Herbert, curator, film (until June 2017)
Two people with dark brown skin wearing colourful dresses are smiling. They are standing in a field.

Still from Cowboy and Maria in town, 1991

A rare chance to see these ground-breaking docos

From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s, some of Australia’s most vital documentary filmmakers undertook a sustained, creative engagement with the people of Papua New Guinea.

Previous documentaries made during the first half of the 20th century by Australia's Commonwealth Film Unit were often highly didactic and usually represented the people of PNG in a paternalistic light. With PNG's independence proclaimed in 1975, a new breed of independent documentarians from Australia sought to reflect Papua New Guineans' complexity of thought, language, history and culture. These filmmakers included Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson, Dennis O’Rourke, Chris Owen, Jef Doring, Su Doring, Gary Kildea, Andrew Pike, Les McLaren and Annie Stiven.

Inspired by the American and Canadian direct cinema movement, they used a wide variety of filmic styles and techniques to take the art of the observational documentary to a higher level. Thriving in the cultural and geographic isolation of Papua New Guinea, they produced a series of films, which together form an intimate portrait of a unique country and an immensely rich and vibrant culture.

Papua New Guinea stories will be shown at the Art Gallery of New South Wales from 11 June to 20 July 2014. Films will be screened using 16mm and 35mm prints courtesy National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

Films

  • 11 June, 23, 27 July – Yumi yet (director Dennis O’Rourke, Australia/PNG, 1976, 16mm) + Ileksen: politics in Papua New Guinea (directors Dennis O’Rourke, Gary Kildea, Australia/PNG, 1978, 16mm)

  • 11, 18 June – First contact (directors Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson, Australia/PNG, 1983, 35mm)

  • 18, 25 June – Joe Leahy’s neighbours (directors Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson, Australia/PNG, 1988, 16mm)

  • 25, 29 June – Black harvest (directors Bob Connolly, Robin Anderson, Australia/PNG, 1992, 16mm)

  • 2, 6 July – Cannibal tours (director Dennis O’Rourke, Australia/PNG, 1988, 35mm)

  • 9, 13 July – Sharkcallers of Kontu (director Dennis O’Rourke, Australia/PNG, 1982, 16mm)

  • 16, 20 July – Cowboy and Maria in town (directors Les McLaren, Annie Stiven, Australia/PNG, 1991, 16mm) + Man without pigs (director Chris Owen, Australia/PNG, 1990, 16mm)

Two people with dark brown skin and wearing headdresses stand in the rain. One. person holds an umbrella over both of them.

Still from Yumi yet, 1976

A truck driver with dark brown skin leans their arm out of the window. Several people are sitting in the truckbed.

Still from Ileksen: politics in Papua New Guinea, 1978

Four people with dark brown skin speak to a person with light skin who is carrying a rifle.

Still from First contact, 1983

A group of people look into the camera.

Still from Joe Leahy's neighbours, 1988

A group of people carrying wooden spears run across a grassy area.

Still from Black harvest, 1992

A person in a wooden boat grasps a shark with both hands as it thrashes in the water.

Still from Sharkcallers of Kontu, 1982

Two people with dark brown skin wearing colourful dresses are smiling. They are standing in a field.

Still from Cowboy and Maria in town, 1991

A large grey pig stands next to a person with dark brown skin. Two people in the background smile as they look at the pig.

Still from Man without pigs, 1990