http://www.visitscenicrim.com.au/news/coming-soon/free-screening-of-jedda-during-murri-arts/
Directed by Charles Chauvel, 1955.
Jedda follows the story of an Aboriginal girl born on a cattle station who is raised by a white family following the death of her mother.
Jedda was a significant moment in the industry as it the first Australian film to star two Aboriginal actors in the lead roles, the first film to be shot in colour and was the first Australian film to compete for the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or award.
The film has been described as “arguably the first Australian film to take the emotional lives of Aboriginal people seriously”. (Australian Screen, 2015)
Jedda starred aboriginal actors, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks and Robert Tudawali, neither of whom had any prior experience as actors. (Buckmaster, 2015)
According to Luke Buckmaster from The Guardian the actors “paved the way for many more strikingly naturalistic debut lead performances by Aboriginal actors in Australian films which include Tom E. Lewis in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, Rowan McNamara and Marissa Gibson in Samson and Delilah, Daniel Connors in Toomelah and Cameron Wallaby in Satellite Boy”. (Buckmaster, 2015)