| Manganinnie | |
|---|---|
 Promotional movie poster for the film | |
| Directed by | John Honey |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | Gilda Baracchi |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Gary Hansen |
| Edited by | Mike Woolveridge |
| Music by | Peter Sculthorpe |
| Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$481,000[1][2] |
Manganinnie is anAFI Award-winning 1980 film which follows the journey of Manganinnie, aTasmanian Aboriginal woman who searches for her tribe with the company of a lost white girl named Joanna. Based on Beth Roberts' novel of the same name, it was directed by John Honey and was the first feature film to be financed by the short-livedTasmanian Film Corporation.
During theBlack War of 1830 in thepenal colony ofVan Diemen's Land, Manganinnie survives a raid on her village. She finds the body of her husband, Meenopeekameena, and builds him afuneral pyre.
The grieving Manganinnie journeys across vast mountains and rivers towards the coast in search of the rest of her tribe. She finds Joanna, a lost white girl, along her way. The pair develop a bond for each other despite not having a common language. Manganinnie teaches Joanna some of her traditional knowledge, and eventually initiates her into her tribe.
Ultimately however, Manganinnie comes to realise that her people and way of life has been destroyed by encroachment from white settlers. When Joanna is asleep, she carries the girl back to her family.
Joanna struggles to adapt back to life with her family. One day Manganinnie's body is found, and Joanna gives her old friend a traditional funeral using the lessons she has learned.
Filming took place in theWest Coast Range and started on 12 November 1979 and ran for five weeks.[2]
Anna Ralph (aged 7 at the time), who played the little white girl Joanna, is now an Associate Professor of infectious diseases working atRoyal Darwin Hospital looking after patients, including Aboriginal peoples.[3]
TheState Cinema hosted the Australian premiere of Manganinnie in August 1980. The event was attended byMawuyul Yanthalawuy and Ralph, as well as the Governor of TasmaniaSir Stanley Burbury and Tasmanian PremierDoug Lowe.[4]
Despite the grim subject matter the film recovered its costs and made a small profit.[5]