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Filmmaker showcases Indigenous ghost stories

The creators of 'Samson and Delilah' have produced yet another daring film and multimedia project.

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Kaytje filmmaker and director of The Darkside, Warwick Thornton.

2 min read

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By Nancia Guivarra

Source: NITV News


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'The Darkside' is the work of internationally renowned Kaytje filmmaker Warwick Thornton, who showcases a collection of Indigenous ghost stories from around the country.

Mr Thornton said this film was made to scare, shock, unsettle and educate people.

He said he would never make a film that he wasn't passionate about, and this one had a personal connection. 

"I've grown up all my life with grandparents, uncles and aunties telling me ghost stories, telling me about ancestors and all that sort of stuff, and I find that we should recognise them, so that’s kind of  why I made the film," Mr Thornton said.

This collection of stories was culled from more than 700 entries he received after calling for public submissions.

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"I wanted the real, truthful, oral history-based ghost stories that are happening today. They’re much more urban, for they’re really truthful and they are about our ancestors coming back and saying g'day," he said.

The Darkside features a combination of real audio recordings and re-enacted scenes from the stories collected.

Most stories used are firsthand accounts of supernatural experiences, ranging from the bizarre to spiritual racists.

Warwick said his selection of ghost stories might even help to reconcile the nation.

"If you’re open to it and you don’t think it’s cooky, and you recognise it, well it can actually help you understand Australia," Mr Thornton said.

The cast includes Deborah Mailman, Marcia Langton, Aaron Pedersen, Bryan Brown, Claudia Karvan and Sacha Horl. 

The Darkside premiered as part of the Corroboree Sydney Festival and will open in cinemas nationally next year. 

In the meantime, there's a mobile application available called 'The Otherside.'


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