My Survival As An Aboriginal (1978)

My Survival As An Aboriginal (1978) preceded by Moort Calling Dingo Back to Country (2026), screening for Central Victorian Indigenous Film Festival.

Moort Calling Dingo Back to Country explores the deep kinship between Cultural Custodians and the Dingo, highlighting a united effort to protect them from widespread killing programs. 10 mins. Unclassified: All ages.

My Survival As An Aboriginal is a landmark documentary made by activist and advocate, Essie Coffey OAM, telling the story of her life in the township of Brewarrina. Coffey, a Murawarri woman who co-founded the Western Aboriginal Legal Service in the 1970s, turns the camera on herself and her town to describe the many injustices faced by the Indigenous community. The first Australian documentary made by an Aboriginal woman, this film broke ground and created pathways for future screen storytelling and has an important place in the history of this land. 50 mins. Unclassified: All ages.

Courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. With thanks to the Coffey family.