The Balanda and the Bark Canoes (TV Movie 2006)

The Balanda and the Bark Canoes: Directed by Rolf de Heer, Tania Nehme, Molly Reynolds. With Rolf de Heer. A fascinating portrait of Australian director Rolf de Heer’s struggle to authentically capture the indigenous Ridjimiraril’s story in TEN CANOES and a tribe who desperately wish to preserve their culture on film.

“u0026#39;The Balanda and the Bark Canoesu0026#39; is an incredible documentary. It is complex, beautiful, dare I say educational, compelling and unexpectedly hilarious. It is about the making of the amazing and powerful Australian film, u0026#39;Ten Canoesu0026#39; which is directed by one of Australiau0026#39;s most magnificent directors, Rolf de Heer who also made u0026#39;Bad Boy Bubbyu0026#39;, u0026#39;The Trackeru0026#39;, u0026#39;Alexandrau0026#39;s Projectu0026#39; and many others. We are treated to a deeply intimate and authentic glimpse into the headspaces of a group of indigenous Australians who reveal e.g., an acute, initial shyness about having to be nude in the film, modern versus traditional takes on their culture, much irreverence and hilarity and the fact they use the word u0026#39;humbugu0026#39; quite a lot. Weu0026#39;re also treated to a glimpse into Rolf de Heeru0026#39;s directorial process where we find a kind, insightful, patient guy who is extremely skillful on many levels. (No surprise as to why heu0026#39;s such a great director then). I loved this doco nearly as much as the film itself. All hail Rolf de Heer and all those involved in the making of this documentary and the film. May he make many more films to enrich our lives.”