FILM AUSTRALIA COLLECTION

Opening introduction to the life of Aranda painter Albert Namatjira with CU of his painted portrait. Tilt down chasm in MacDonnell Ranges, Central Australia and WS of mountain ranges, trees and landscapes. VS Namatjira walking on grassed landscape with painting materials under his arm. MS of Namatjira drawing on paper supported on clipboard and CUs of him drawing mountains and being joined by his wife and sons. CUs Namatjira holding his young son on his lap and placing his hat on him.

GS of artist Albert Namatjira and his family living in traditional Aranda ways camping in the open and VS of cooking a kangaroo on campfire then covering it in embers. VS of Namatjira and groups eating and drinking around fire in daylight. GS Namatjira taking nap on swag. GS Hermannsburg Mission with line of Aboriginal children walking with non-Aboriginal teacher. CUs of blond haired Aboriginal boy sitting at desk drawing on slate with chalk. GS man ringing bell as Aboriginal women pass by. VS of Namatjira heating metal on fire and CUs of hammering glowing horseshoe on anvil. GS shoeing horse, MS planing timber and CU decorating timber plaque with burnt in emu motifs.

CUs Aboriginal rock paintings and MS Aboriginal man painting hand on rock. CU man's face. VS pair of Aranda hunters tracking and spearing kangaroo with shots of pair talking, preparing to throw spear, stalking and carrying dead kangaroo over shoulders. VS children practising hunting, running together and throwing grass spears. VS naked youths plunging into waterhole and playing. VS Aranda elder instructing male youth in spear throwing. WS of the pair on dune and CUs of elder making tracks in sand like those of a wild dog, kangaroo and human.

WS pair of Aboriginal men walking towards mountains. GS camel train across desert with CUs of camels' feet, Aboriginal driver's feet and their shadows past camera. WS stockmen on horses herding cattle. VS Aboriginal locals arriving to see 1934 exhibition of paintings by Melbourne artists Rex Batterbee and John Gardiner at Hermannsburg Mission. VS men removing hats as they enter building and looking at paintings on walls. CU Namatjira and CU of landscape painting by Batterbee. WS car across outback towards town and GS Batterbee's 1936 return to Hermannsburg, being greeted by locals and MS shaking hands with Namatjira .

WS blue mountains of MacDonnell Ranges. CU artist Rex Batterbee painting watercolour landscape on paper on red sands and GS of him seated on stool painting watched by Namatjira. CU of Batterbee's paintbox. Pan from Batterbee painting across to camels resting and Namatjira making damper in campfire embers. VS Batterbee instructing Namatjira on how to paint. VS of both artists painting landscapes. VS Namatjira painting at various MacDonnell Ranges locations. GS group of Aboriginal men examining Namatjira's paintings. CUs of paintings. VS of Namatjira packing up his paint things and leaving with the men on camelback.

Aerial over large Australian city. GS people walking along city street and high angle shot over trams along city street with pan to buildings. VS people entering building past sign for Namatjira painting exhibition. MS well dressed people looking at Namatjira's watercolour landscape paintings inside gallery. Gallery worker placing red dot sale stickers on paintings. WS Namatjira with group of Aboriginal men walking around MacDonnell Ranges and settling down to paint amongst rocks. VS of men drawing and painting. WS men sitting on grass with mountains as backdrop. Fade to CU portrait of his face and closing titles.