Coming Home

A film honouring Aboriginal Diggers

Coming Home tells the story of a families yearning to know what happened to brothers Cyril and Rufus Rigney.

Both brothers set off from their community of Raukkan, Point Macleay Mission in South Australia and join the
Great War and fight for country.

Victor Koolmatrie interviews his mother Verna and  together they recall a journey to Ypres, Belgium. The story is beautifully remembered and effortlessly told by Ngarrindjeri Elder Verna Koolmatrie, she tells us of a chance meeting with a kind and friendly stranger with a generous heart
and how he helped their family find peace.

 

RAUKKAN SCEREENING

Sunday 23 April

6pm for 7pm screening

Raukkan Town Hall, Raukkan, South Australia

Soup and damper served prior to screening

 

 

SPECIAL ANZAC DAY SCREENING

Tuesday 25 April, 3pm

Mercury Cinema, 13 Morphett Street, Adelaide

Stay after the screening for a Q&A with the filmmakers.

Allan Collins ACS Cinematographer  Artist in residence and lead mentor
Lee-Ann Tjunypa Buckskin  Creative Producer and mentor
Kiara Milera  Post Production Assistant
Isaac Lindsay  Research Assistant
Victor Koolmatrie  Interviewer
Verna Koolmatrie  Storyteller
Lara Damiani  Editor and mentor

 

FILMS BEING SCREENED IN CONJUNCTION WITH COMING HOME:

Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense
Afghan/Aust. (2013) Tom Abood. 4 mins

This Tropfest finalist is a first person shot video in the form of a letter to his parents from then solider, Tom Abood. In the poignant work, Tom reflects on why he’s fighting Australia’s latest war in Afghanistan and how deep is the call of home.

 

The First ANZAC Day
Australia (2015) Ash Starkey. 60 mins

This documentary explores a little known fact about ANZAC day; it began in Adelaide with the union movement’s renaming of the Eight Hour Day public holiday. This documentary also traces the formation of the Adelaide recruited 10th Battalion, which was amongst the first ashore at Gallipoli

 

Harry’s War
Australia (1999) Richard Franklin. 28 mins

This award winning short tells the story of the director’s uncle, Harry Saunders, who fought in World War Two in the hope that his actions would help Aboriginal Australians gain citizenship.