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My Life as I Live It (1993)

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clip Death in custody

Original classification rating: G. This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

Essie’s nephew, Eddie, is one of the 'Stolen Generations’. He has returned to Brewarrina, having been adopted out and raised by a white family in Sydney. He plays the organ, which is fitting music for Essie’s cousin, Priscilla Boney. Priscilla is visiting the grave of her son, Lloyd, who died in custody. Priscilla speaks about Lloyd and the family.

Curator’s notes

Martha Ansara received a call from Essie who said, 'I want you to come up with a camera’. Ansara didn’t realise that all along Essie had another film in mind. Essie had an interesting way of working. She would never explain anything to her collaborators, Ansara and Kit Guyatt, but would tell them to do things without saying why.

On one occasion, Essie said, 'I want you to go and pick up my cousin Priscilla and take her where she wants to go’. Ansara and Guyatt did as they were told, film gear in hand. Priscilla was waiting for them with flowers and they went to the cemetery to visit Lloyd’s grave. The result is a very moving scene in the film.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

  • You may retrieve materials for information only.
  • You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

All other rights reserved.

ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.

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