Melanie Hogan's premiere
documentary, Kanyini is a powerful picture about the remarkable life and philosophy of Bob Randall, an elder of the Yankunytjatjara
people of Uluru in Central Australia. ‘Uncle Bob’ tells his people’s heart-breaking story with honesty,
love, gentleness and strength. His journey demonstrates the errant beauty and incredible value of cultural uniqueness. The
archival footage from the very early days of white contact with indigenous people seems like residual memories of a lost paradise.
Kanyini also presents the cruel destruction of highly valued beliefs, tradition and spirituality that has been practiced for
centuries. Told in a matter-of-fact voice, Kanyini raises questions of cultural preservation and the value of freedom.
The director sums it up neatly: “In a nutshell,
Kanyini was born out of my desire to understand and connect with indigenous Australia. Being part of the dominant culture
in a recently ‘colonized’ country I had next to no contact whatsoever with indigenous Australia for the first
26 years of my life.”
The film has received many accolades including
the Discovery Channel Award for Best Documentary and the highly competitive Glenfiddich Independent Spirit Award at the Hisense
Inside Film Awards, the people’s choice awards for Australian film.
