Directed by Ivan Sen.
Toomelah is an Aboriginal community of about 300 people. On the banks of the Macintyre River on the border of NSW and Queensland, it is surrounded by cotton farms and grazing properties. Previously a mission, the church replaced much of the traditional culture of its inhabitants and today’s occupants suffer from many health and social problems.
When 10 year old Daniel (Daniel Conners) is asked by his grandmother what he wants to do with himself, he replies, ‘I don’t know. What can I do?’ Not wanting to be like his drunken father, Daniel admires Linden (Christopher Edwards), the local gang leader and he is well on his way to becoming a little gangster.
Using the existing locations in the community, Ivan Sen filmed the cast of non-actors (except for one actor) without a crew to capture a realistic and intimate portrayal of what life is like in Toomelah for its young inhabitants.
Lezly Herbert
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