I find that documentaries at MIFF about Indigenous people are consistently good.

There’s something about the collaborative and genuinely inclusive approach to filmmaking that sets them apart. I’m thinking of Audrey Napanangka (2022), In My Blood it Runs (2019), The Song Keepers (2017). It’s the antithesis of the approach of Flathead (2024).

Sal Balharrie and Danielle MacLean spent six years, lengthened by COVID, following the fates of four Tiwi female footy hopefuls and, in doing so, has given us a precious glimpse into Tiwi culture and the importance of football. In the Q&A afterwards, star of the film/Tiwi College teacher/co-producer TicTac told us that of the 2,500 thousand population, 900 people play footy.

We meet Freda, Rina, Julianna and Jess in 2018 as Essendon women’s team selectors visit and assess their skills. It’s not only important for the young women but also a huge point of pride for their families, school and community. We follow them as they get a chance to train and try out for the draft in Melbourne. For some it’s too hard to be so far from home and trying to balance the culture with the rigid expectations of a white world are a challenge. We see attempts at inclusion that don’t understand the importance of family and Country.

Freda’s Nanna Aileen talks about Freda and touches on the difficulties for young Tiwis if they leave school with no job or prospects. I won’t give any spoilers as it is genuinely gripping watching their fates unfold, affected by lockdowns and the vicissitudes of a fickle industry. Freda and Rina attended the Q&A and I can tell you that footy is still just as important to them and they are both contributing to their communities and being active role models to young Tiwi women.

And the final song was whipped up by producers and Tiwi College staff TicTac and Tippa and it’s a fitting ending to what is not just a story of potential sporting heroes but of a fascinating culture and what inclusion really means.