It is 1993. Dr John Hewson exclaims to the Parliament that the passing of the 'Mabo Bill’ will be a day of shame for Australia. Titles on the screen summarise the key points of the …

Prospect Bay has won the grand final in spectacular fashion. At the awards presentation that night, star-player Dumby Red (Luke Carroll) fully expects to be named best player on ground, but the local publican, Big …

Rolf de Heer oversees the construction of swamp canoes that will be used in the film Ten Canoes (2006).

Against a backdrop of images of the Ramingining community, director Rolf de Heer talks about the unexpected problems in casting Ten Canoes (2006). The kinship laws are so complex that the final choice of cast …

The 'black and white urban band’ Djaambi arrives at the remote Aboriginal community of Papunya to find no audience, minor flooding and bleak housing conditions for the locals. The band hopes that their visit to …

Aggie Abbott tells of how, when Zita returned to her mother after years of being absent, her mother said that her daughter was dead. Ron Wallace, Zita’s husband, talks about Zita’s experience of …

Zita is sitting on a stool feeding a poddy calf. In voice-over Aggie Abbott says most children who were taken away never returned to their country. Zita on the other hand has sought her family …

Frank Byrne, Stolen Generations senior case workers Heather Shearer and Justin Howard, director Mitch Torres and Julie Hayden from the Department of Indigenous Affairs sit around a table. They are looking at the yellow pages …

Joie Boulter speaks about having Dion’s artwork applied to T-shirts as a way to raise funds. We see examples of Dion’s artwork now applied to T-shirts. All royalties raised from the merchandise are …

An RSL Club, and a raffle is taking place. Players from the La Perouse Panthers have gathered for the team’s fundraiser. Bruce 'Lapa’ Stewart, community elder and former La Perouse player, speaks into a …

Footage of David, Robyn – David’s traditional law wife – and their children in Ramingining. Sweeping aerial views of the ever-widening river that David needs to cross to reach David’s father’s country. Archival footage …

Blue skies, as the camera pans down, the frame rests on 'Wickham, Western Australia’. A Torres Strait man recalls how he came to work on the railway and stayed. As he describes his experiences we …

Sergeant Neil Gordon befriended an Aboriginal boy who now resides with him. The local kids are often there playing pool and socialising and consequently Sergeant Gordon has labelled his home the 'Halls Creek drop-in centre’.

Two people removed from their families as children to enter into servitude, Margaret Tucker and Bill Reid, speak of their experience growing up. Historical footage shows children placed in missions.

The old women sit in the sand, the younger women next to them. The old women draw the skin system – or the lores of marriage – in the sand. The younger women are being taught the …

All the main characters are introduced in this clip, and all offer their own definition of love.

Anne and Trish, the sisters of the filmmaker, speak about the racism experienced by their father Colin when he first began dating their mother Gloria.

We are introduced to Tommy E Lewis. Tommy speaks about his stepfather who raised him and loved him as his own, imparting Dreaming stories, and his white biological father, Hurtle Lewis, who was like ‘the …

Kathy Mills talks about her children and the closeness of her family and the role music plays in it. Allyson Mills talks about how her father called their attention to different sounds and rhythms.

This clip shows archival photographs of the family. Kathy Mills tells of meeting her husband David, and how music was an element that attracted her to her husband.

A background to the Koori Court system is given over a montage of Indigenous inmates in prison. Rob Hulls recites the incident that inspired him to have discussions with the Koori community once he became …

An explanation of the physical and conceptual organisation of the Koori Court. Magistrate Ann Collins explains the informal process of reaching an outcome. Uncle Kevin Coombs speaks of his role as an Elder involved with …

Archival images of long-grassers are juxtaposed with contemporary images of homeless Aboriginal people. We also meet an Aboriginal man from Bathurst Island who, for his own reasons, lives as a long-grasser in Darwin.

Joanne Garngulkpuy talks about why people come to Darwin. John Greatorex tells us the history of the missions in the area, and how the different clans that were centralised in the settlements ended up living …

The Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council are holding their executive meeting. The women express their objection to the presence and abuse of substances in their communities.

A four-wheel drive makes its way down a stretch of road at Curtin Springs. The women are discussing the alcohol-related fatalities that have occurred here. They reminisce about the 1990 march against the sale of …

Aaron reads the paper while Vinnie mows the lawn. Over family stills and clips showing Aaron performing in Dead Heart and Water Rats, Aaron describes how Vinnie always turned to him to be looked after …

The family travel to Kundjabe to fish. The women bait the hooks with worms, while they talk about the different types of food available to them. There is a great familiarity with how the family …

As Constable Riggs (Jason Clarke) arrives, Maude (Ningali Lawford) realises he has come to take the children. They run, but Riggs cuts off their escape route and seizes the children one by one. He warns …

At the Moore River Aboriginal settlement, Molly (Everlyn Sampi) is called out of the assembly to be inspected by Mr AO Neville (Kenneth Branagh), the Protector of Aborigines. Mr Neville checks the colour of her …

Mr Neville (Kenneth Branagh) tells the police inspector (Roy Billing) that the three escaped girls must be following the rabbit-proof fence north, to their home. He devises a plan to catch them, sending police troopers …

Rosie is packing her bag to move out of the welfare house, and a young woman who is to take over her room is introduced to her. The young girl has the same last name …

A teenage band put together by Sammy Butcher performs for an audience. Sammy talks about the kind of songs he and the children write together, and one song ‘Ngayulu Nyangu’ which means I have seen …

Footage of Beagle Bay Mission. Historical black-and-white footage of Aboriginal children. Daisy Howard tells us of her experience of being removed, and being robbed of the opportunity of having a strong relationship with her sister …

Interspersed with shots of Areyonga community, Frank Djara tells how he communicated health issues through painting, and by talking about sickness to his people.

Over shots of the town of Fitzroy Crossing, Willigan tells us that the Indigenous population have been employed in the CDEP or working for the dole scheme for nearly 30 years. We see people working …

Over shots of the landscape, hills and rivers, Willigan talks about ecotourism, and Kevin Oscar talks about the influx of tourists. The landform is pristine. Bruce Williams gives us a brief tour of the country …

At school, Ricco stands with his hands drooped over an outside freshwater tap. He introduces himself to the audience, and the other main characters of the documentary soon after.