A story of life, time and culture nicole mas documentary is political and personal, serious and lighthearted, and never less. Watch putuparri and the rainmakers online vimeo on. Watch putuparri and the rainmakers online vimeo on demand. Putuparri and the rainmakers is showing as part of the melbourne international film. Trailer for putuparri and the rainmakers for over 40,000 years, tom putuparri lawfords people lived a nomadic life in the desert of western australia. The story of putuparri tom lawford, a 44 year old aboriginal man from northwest australia who was raised on a cattle station and educated in the western world. It takes audiences on a rare and emotional journey to. The film spans twenty transformative years in putuparris life as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his traditional culture.
Putuparri and the rainmakers film creative spirits. Set against the backdrop of the long fight to reclaim their traditional lands, putuparri and the rainmakers is a story of love, hope and the survival of aboriginal law. This period includes the land rights claim periods, and many changes in the living arrangements and cultural. Neither preachy nor overly reverent, this is a remarkable piece of filmmaking that makes us feel weve been granted the rare privilege of witnessing something utterly unique, even as it teeters on the cusp of disappearing forever. Tom putuparri lawford has been fighting for 20 years to regain his peoples sacred watering hole of kurtal. Plagued by alcoholism and domestic violence, putuparri must stay strong and put his historic culture first if he is to secure the future of kurtal for his people. Andrew pike putuparri and the rainmakers is a universal story about the sacred relationship between people and place.
In some ways its like two docos coexisting within the same 97minute runtime no surprise considering its convoluted 14year production history. Sep 30, 2015 nicole ma, director of putuparri and the rainmakers. The film spans 20 transformative years in the life of putuparri tom lawford as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his determination to keep his traditional culture alive. Putuparri and the rainmakers catching ceremony on camera to. Putuparri and the rainmakers is a universal story about the sacred. Aug 16, 2015 putuparri and the rainmakers, a new australian documentary that premiered last week at the melbourne international film festival, works quite effectively on two levels. Directed by the chineseborn film director nicole ma over a decade.
Putuparri and the rainmakers is her first feature length documentary. Putuparri and the rainmakers get showtimes show comments 0 comments. Jeffrey diamond the sydneyborn, melbournebased filmmaker first came into. Aug 30, 2015 putuparri and the rainmakers wins best film at 2015 cinefestoz festival this article is more than 4 years old. Surrounded by sacred waterholesthe greatest of them named kurtalthey knew the great sandy desert would always provide. Andrew pikeputuparri and the rainmakers is a universal story about the sacred relationship between people and place. A story of love, hope and the survival of aboriginal law and culture against the odds. Aug 26, 2016 then watch putuparri and the rainmakers. We are introduced to tom lawford, known as putuparri, who is a spiritual leader of fitzroy crossing.
Guangzhou documentary film festival 2015 awards ceremony. The poignancy of the film is profound as we gradually come to understand the personal burden of responsibility which drives spider and dolly, and transforms the lives of the next generation. Putuparri and the rainmakers world premiere at the 2015 melbourne international film festival over twelve years in the making, putuparri and the rainmakers will make its world premiere at the 2015 melbourne international film festival. Putuparri and the rainmakers wins best film at 2015 cinefestoz. Sensible films melbourne based documentary production company. Against the backdrop of australias tangled colonial and aboriginal history, putuparri and the rainmakers explores one mans struggle to fulfil his destiny. Putuparri and the rainmakers, directed by melbourne filmmaker nicole ma, follows wangkatjungka man tom putuparri lawford and his. The rainmakers is a 1935 american comedy film directed by fred guiol from a screenplay by grant garrett and leslie goodwins, based on a story by guiol and albert traynor.
Putuparri tom lawford, a wangkajunga man who lives in fitzroy crossing, is the narrator of the film and he plays a shifting role. The film spans ten transformative years in putuparris life as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his traditional culture. Putuparri is shocked to learn that the dreamtime myths are not just stories, that there is a country called kurtal and a snake spirit that is the subject of an elaborate rainmaking ritual. The film maps out his ancestors spiritual connection to the land and his familys continuing custodianship of it. Putuparri and the rainmakers australian documentary 2015. It has been a long process but one which i feel very privileged to be involved. Film screening of putuparri and the rainmakers anu.
Putuparri and the rainmakers 2015 is about the courage of putuparri. The film spans ten transformative years in the life of tom putuparri. Tom putuparri lawford is a man caught between two worlds. Really interesting film, wonderful art, wonderful story. Announced at this years cinefestoz film festival, putuparri and the rainmakers has been nominated as a finalist for the festivals top film prize. Putuparri and the rainmakers ronin films educational dvd. In this cinematically breathtaking film, director nicole ma spends more than a decade documenting putuparris journey and that of his family to fight for indigenous law and to reclaim title to the ancestral lands that hold the mighty kurtal.
It is the first time a documentary feature has been in competition, let alone won the prize. Mar, 2016 the story of putuparri tom lawford, a 44 year old aboriginal man from northwest australia who was raised on a cattle station and educated in the western world. The film spans 20 transformative years in the life of tom putuparri lawford as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his. The film spans ten transformative years in the life of tom putuparri lawford as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his growing determination to fight for his familys homeland. Tom putuparri lawford has been fighting for 20 years to regain his peoples sacred. No quotes approved yet for putuparri and the rainmakers.
Putuparri and the rainmakers was a nominee for best picture. It takes audiences on a rare and emotional journey to meet the traditional rainmakers of australias great sandy desert who have fought a twentyyear battle to win back their traditional homeland. The film spans ten transformative years in the life of tom putuparri lawford as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his growing determination to fight for his familys. Putuparri and the rainmakers movie now screening nitv. The film spans ten transformative years in the life of tom putuparri lawford as he. Set against the backdrop of this long fight for ownership of traditional lands, putuparri and the rainmakers is an emotional, visually breathtaking story of love, hope and the survival of aboriginal law and culture against all odds. Sensible films melbourne based documentary production. Aug 05, 2015 supported by his grandparents spider and dolly, putuparri navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his traditional culture. This film will be important to historians in years to come, because it documents about 50 years in the lives of a group of aboriginal people living in and around fitzroy crossing in western australia. Ten years in the making, the film is an extraordinary eyewitness account of the living traditions of putuparri s people. Miff is a notforprofit organisation that has been continuously running since 1952, making it the leading film festival in australia and one of the worlds oldest film festivals, alongside cannes and berlin. Putuparri and the rainmakers new zealand international film. Buy putuparri and the rainmakers microsoft store enau.
Watch putuparri and the rainmakers online vimeo on demand on. Putuparri and the rainmakers, a new australian documentary that premiered last week at the melbourne international film festival, works quite effectively on two levels. John moore is one of australias leading documentary producers. Putuparri and the rainmakers is a stunning story of. The story of putuparri tom lawford, a 44 year old aboriginal man from northwest australia who was raised on a cattle station and educated in. Putuparri and the rainmakers 2015 a documentary about an aboriginal man living in fitzroy crossing in western australia that maps out his ancestors spiritual connection to the land and his familys continuing custodianship of it. Ten years in the making, the film is an extraordinary eyewitness account of the living traditions of putuparris people. Coming attractions for you 2020s most anticipated movies. Putuparri and the rainmakers ronin films educational.
Putuparri is inspired to fight for his indigenous land when he experiences a rainmaking ritual in the australian desert. Putuparri and the rainmakers is a universal story about the sacred relationship between people and place. The key partners are nitv, screen australia, film victoria, ronin films and the melbourne international film festival premiere fund. Jeffrey diamond the sydneyborn, melbournebased film maker first came into contact with the people of fitzroy crossing in 2001. Putuparri and the rainmakers 2015 by simon storey after making its world premiere at miff 2015 and emerging as a fan favourite, putuparri and the rainmakers was awarded with the festivals premiere fund and went on to win big at the western australian cinefest oz festival. Putuparri and the rainmakers official trailer youtube. In putuparri and the rainmakers, first time feature filmmaker nicole ma takes us to the remote community of fitzroy crossing in western australia, which has been home to the wangkatjungka people for over 40,000 years. This documentary film is about an aboriginal man living in fitzroy crossing in western australia. Latest releases the secret marathon home when the storm fades for my fathers kingdom agniyogana. Putuparri and the rainmakers takes audiences on a rare and emotional journey to meet the traditional rainmakers of australias great sandy desert ten years in the making, the film is an extraordinary eyewitness account of the living traditions of putuparris people. Putuparri and the rainmakers 2015 directed by nicole ma.
Set against the backdrop of this long fight for ownership of traditional lands, the miff premiere fundsupported putuparri and the rainmakers is an emotional, visually breathtaking story of love, hope and the survival of aboriginal law and culture against all odds. Plagued by alcoholism and domestic violence, putuparri must stay strong if he is to secure the future of kurtal for his people. Winner putuparri and the rainmakers cinefestoz film festival. The film spans 20 transformative years in the life of putuparri tom lawford as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and. Nicole ma, director of putuparri and the rainmakers. Putuparri and the rainmakers has won australias richest film prize. Putuparri and the rainmakers virginia film festival. Putuparri and the rainmakers wins best film at 2015. His many film awards include best documentary at the melbourne and sydney film festivals for black mans houses 1993 and the nsw premiers history award for thomson of arnhem land in 2001. The sydneyborn, melbournebased filmmaker first came. Putuparri and the rainmakers movie quotes rotten tomatoes.
A presentation of the melbourne international film festival premiere fund. Supported by his grandparents spider and dolly, putuparri navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his traditional culture. Putuparri and the rainmakers nominated for cinefestozs top film prize. Directed by melbourne filmmaker nicole ma, this 90min documentary follows tom putuparri lawford who is an aboriginal man struggling to reconcile his life in the modern world with his destiny as a cultural leader of his people. The film spans twenty transformative years in putuparri s life as he navigates the deep chasm between his western upbringing and his traditional culture. In october 20, we were able to do some more focused interviews for the film and by the end of the year the film was fully financed. In an attempt to help putuparri rediscover his cultural roots, his grandfather takes him back to their desert homeland.