My Survival as an Aboriginal + Witches and Faggots, Dykes and Poofters

July 24: Redstone Theater
July 31: Bartos Screening Room

Dir. Essie Coffey. 1978, 51 mins. DCP. The first Australian film directed by an Indigenous woman, this documentary depicts the dispossession of the Aboriginal people of Australia with passion and stark honesty. It reveals an incredibly resilient and proud activist in the figure of Coffey, a Murawari woman, fierce campaigner, and filmmaker who actively fought for (and won) advances for the basic living conditions of Aboriginal people. 

Followed by Witches and Faggots, Dykes and Poofters

A film by the One in Seven Collective, produced by Digby Duncan. 1980, 45 mins. DCP. NFSA Restores. This trailblazing documentary captures the queer spirit of 1970s Australia, portraying the events leading up to and around the first ever Sydney Mardi Gras in 1978, an occasion rife with pride and love but also violence, both on the night of the event and in the media surrounding it. The provocative title comes from the community’s call to reclaim such terms of abuse for themselves.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this film may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons.

Presented in association with the National Film and Sound Archive’s digital restoration program – NFSA Restores: Reviving our cinema icons.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / Free or discounted for MoMI members ($11 classic). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.