A film about an Aboriginal initiation ceremony in Doomadgee is wowing audiences in the Big Apple.
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The film “Zach’s Ceremony” by filmmaker Aaron Petersen received a standing ovation when it was screened at New York’s Margaret Mead Film Festival last week.
The film is the brainchild of Doomadgee man, Alec Doomadgee, a descendent of Waanyi, Garawa and Gangalidda peoples.
Mr Doomadgee, who has starred in Redfern Now, produced the film about his son Zach’s identity challenges over a 10-year period as he enters adolescence and moves between the cultures of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Sydney.
While New York audiences approved, the film was also winning honours at home when it won the best film and documentary award at the Byron Bay Film Festival.
Mr Doomadgee described the movie as “the little train that could”.
“It’s been a long journey, it’s been a hard journey and I’m honoured I’ve made it this far,” Mr Doomadgee said.
Speaking in advance of the screening Alec Doomadgee said he felt emotional and excited.
“We kept chugging away. I know I deserve to be here because we worked really hard to get this far,” he said.
“It’s a big honour for a little Aboriginal boy like me from the Gulf country.”
Mr Doomadgee said he wanted the whole of Australia to embrace what he was doing.
“We need to create positive change for all of us,” he said.
“I want white Australia to walk with me and (white and) black Australians to walk beside each other.”
Mr Doomadgee said the film was “a story about us, a story about Australia.”
“It’s a story about our law and our culture, about the real Australia,” he said.