Stars: Crusoe Kurddal, Jamie Gulpilil, Richard Birrinbirrin, Peter Djigirr, Peter Minygululu, Frances Djulibing, David Gulpilil, Johnny Buniyira

Director: Rolf De Heer

Summary: Set in Australia one thousand years back in history, TEN CANOES follows 10 Aboriginal men as they attempt to build canoes for hunting geese. As they harvest the wood for the canoes and prepare for the mission, they share stories and legends from their tribe's past. Dayandi, who coverts his elder brother's wife, is told the story of a tribesman from the past who also coverted his elder brother's wife.

Set in Australia one thousand years back in history, TEN CANOES follows 10 Aboriginal men as they attempt to build canoes for hunting geese. As they harvest the wood for the canoes and prepare for the mission, they share stories and legends from their tribe's past. Dayandi, who coverts his elder brother's wife, is told the story of a tribesman from the past who also coverted his elder brother's wife. TEN CANOES looks back at a fascinating period of time, before Australia was exposed to Western civilization, and is an entertaining and at times humorous adventure. The cast is predimonantly made up of non-professional actors, which gives the film a refreshingly naturalistic style.

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An art-house film filled with more humour and skilled acting than most Hollywood blockbusters, Ten Canoes is a wry story within a story. The tone of the film is set when narrator David Gulpilil (Crocodile Dundee) says, "Once upon a time in a land far, far away...." He stops himself with a warm, hearty chuckle and adds, "I'm only joking." Director Rolf de Heer does a fine job with his cast of novice actors, who depict a life most moviegoers are unfamiliar with. Set in Australia's far northern Arnhem Land, the film--which won the Special Jury Prize at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival--tells the tale of friendship, deception, and forbidden love. Ten tribesmen venture on a trip where they will build canoes, gather food, and gossip about their sexual prowess and their wives. During the trip, Minygululu (Peter Minygululu) regales his younger brother Dayindi (played by David Gulpilil's son, Jamie Gulpilil) with stories of a man who lusts after his older sibling's wife. It is giving nothing away to reveal that Dayindi has a crush on Minygululu's youngest bride. Handled differently, the film could've been saddled with the ick factor of siblings chasing after the same young woman. But the way de Heer presents it, it is a parable that distinguishes between right and wrong, in an entertaining and non-judgmental way. Cinematographer Ian Jones is to be commended for his amazing work. He frames the shots in a superb fashion and showcases the raw beauty of the land--and the people--that time has forgotten. --Jae-Ha Kim

Main Language:	Aboriginal, English
Year:	2007
Release Date:	June 1, 2007
Runtime:	92 minutes
Certification:
Keywords:	Australia, General, Ten, Drama, Aboriginal, Canoes
Genre:	Drama