Genre: Drama
Director: Ivan Sen
Cast: Daniel Connors, Christopher Edwards, Danieka Connors, Michael Connors, Dean Daley-Jones
Writers: Ivan Sen
Rating: MA15+
Run Time: 97 mins
Synopsis
Ivan Sen (Beneath Clouds) has crafted
a deeply personal story, which intimately depicts mission life in
contemporary Australia.
In the remote Indigenous community of
Toomelah, Daniel - a sensitive, troubled 10 year old
boy from a broken home - dreams of being a gangster.
When he is kicked out of school he befriends a local gang leader,
until a rival gangster arrives back from jail to reclaim his turf.
A showdown ensues and Daniel is caught in the middle, leaving him
with a choice to make about his uncertain future.
The film reveals the challenges
facing the young Gamilaroi people of the Toomelah Community. Robbed
of much of their traditional culture by Government policy, it is a
community on a cultural edge, struggling for an identity. It is a
provocative and yet comic story that transports audiences inside
the community, creating an authentic world and way of life that is
"Toomelah"
The film is set entirely in the
remote Indigenous community of Toomelah, located on the NSW, QLD
border. It was created as a mission during the 1930s, bringing
together Gamilaroi and Bigambal people from the surrounding
area.