The true story of the first Aboriginal filmmaker: William Bill Onus.
Entrepreneur, impresario, entertainer, activist. Opera singer Tiriki Onus thought he knew his charismatic grandfather Bill, until an unearthed 70-year old silent film reel suggests he might have been the first-ever Aboriginal filmmaker.
As Tiriki journeys across the continent and chases down leads about his grandfather, a compelling untold story of activism, resistance and politically driven art-making unfolds. A dark tale with all the intrigue of the best detective fiction.
During the filmmaking, Bill was shadowed by security agents and on the eve of its release, it vanished.
When Walt Disney invited him to perform in America, covert government operatives conspired to prevent him from leaving Australia. Allowing Bill into the world stage was considered too dangerous. But nothing could stop his passionate, singular vision of winning equality for his people.
ABLAZE will screen from 6.30pm for a duration of 1 hour 30 minutes
Q&A’s with ABLAZE writer/director Alec Morgan will commence after the film.
Tickets available from $10, on sale from Thursday 11th August at 10am from Civic: Playhouse
About Alec Morgan
Alec Morgan is a multi-award-winning filmmaker with productions that have screened at over 50 film festivals, in cinemas and on television in many countries. His documentary credits include the landmark production Lousy Little Sixpence, which first exposed the story of the Stolen Generations and Admission Impossible which revealed the secret history of the White Australia Policy.
He directed End of the Earth, a history of human impact on Antarctica. He was Creative Head of channel 9s hit history series Our Century and scripted the series Raising the Curtain about Australian theatre.
His innovative feature Hunt Angels won 8 awards including 3 AACTA Awards and the prestigious Joan Long Award for contribution to Australian film history.
He recently wrote and directed episodes of the ground-breaking factual series Australia In Colour, one of SBS’s highest-rating productions. His latest feature documentary Ablaze was made in collaboration with first-time director Tiriki Onus.
Supported by Creative Newcastle. The Creative Newcastle Program is delivered under the Special Business Rate program.
