''Banduk'' is a 1985 Australian

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

shot in Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem Land,

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...

of Australia.Ed. Scott Murray, ''Australia on the Small Screen 1970-1995'', Oxford Uni Press, 1996 p11

Plot

There is no dialogue in the film; the story is told in its imagery. The boy and girl (siblings) in the story (Banduk and Yalumul) realise that the

ice-cream van An ice cream van (British) or ice cream truck (North American) is a commercial vehicle that serves as a mobile retail outlet for ice cream, usually during the spring and summer. Ice cream vans are often seen parked at public events, or near ...

owners are smuggling native animals out of Australia, including one of the Yolngu sacred animals, the red-collared lorikeet, or ''lindrij''. With the help of Banduk's grandfather, they manage to trap the smugglers and are given a reward. The sub-plot involves the children raising money to buy musical instruments for their band.

Cast

The cast is as follows: *

Garry McDonald Garry George McDonald AO (born 30 October 1948) is an Australian actor, satirist and comedian. In a career spanning five decades he has had many theatre, television and film roles, and has been listed as a National Living Treasure. He is bes ...

– Mr Kool * Jone/Joan Winchester – Mrs Kool * Bayulma Marika – Banduk * Yalumul Marika – Yalumul *

Roy Marika Roy Dadaynga Marika (1925 – 1993) was an Aboriginal Australian artist and Indigenous land rights in Australia, Indigenous rights activist. He was a member of the Marika family, brother of Mawalan 1 Marika, Mathaman Marika, Milirrpum Marika and ...

– Grandad * Gurumin Marika – Father *

Banduk Marika Banduk Mamburra Wananamba Marika (13 October 1954 – 12 July 2021) was an artist and printmaker from Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. She was a member of the Rirratjingu clan of the Yolngu people, whose traditional land is Yalangb ...

– Aunt * Tommy Munyurran – Police aide

Production

Renowned Yolngu artist

served as Aboriginal consultant, and also played the role of Aunt in the film.

, Banduk's uncle and renowned artist, plays the grandfather.

Release

The film was made by Channel 9 (now Nine Network) for the Second European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Drama Exchange for children, and released on Channel 9 in July 1985. It was released in the UK by

Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a franchise holder for a region of the British ITV television network serving London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until the night of 31 December 1992. Thames Television broa ...

Reception

Cinema Papers ''Cinema Papers'' was an Australian bi-monthly film magazine which ran from 1974 to 2001. It absorbed ''Filmviews'' in 1989. History and profile ''Cinema Papers'' was first published as a nationally distributed magazine in January 1974. The name ...

'' gives the film a lukewarm review, but ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...

'' (Deirdre McPherson) called the film charming in its simplicity, and Bayulma Marika "most appealing as Banduk".

Footnotes

References

External links

* {{Films and television series about Indigenous Australia , state=autocollapse Australian television films 1985 television films 1985 films Films about Aboriginal Australians Films directed by Di Drew 1980s English-language films