Curator’s Cut film series

Evening scene of Northern Territory Parliament House with Hollywood style search lights coming out from behind the building. Text on image detailing films to be screened as part of the series.

If you head to the upper mezzanine level of the Northern Territory Library you will come across titles such as Do the Jive with Beris and John Thomae, Going to the Finke Desert Race and Mr Patterns. These titles make up part of the Library’s audio-visual collection that includes commercially released films, home videos, cassettes, CDs and DVDs.

This wet season the Library is excited to present Curator’s Cut, a series screening rare films from the Library’s collection. Audiences can expect to see films featuring protest movements, sport being used to break down barriers, music unifying people and lawn sales.   

Patrick Gregory, Senior Director Northern Territory Library and Archives is planning to be front row when the film series officially starts on Wednesday 19 September. 

“Film is such an incredible medium to reflect society and as history buffs we love that. Film helps tell our stories – they captures our voices, our accents, our fashion, our politics and our passions. The films selected all play their part in reflecting elements of the Northern Territory” says self-confessed cinephile Patrick Gregory. 

With hundreds of films to select from, putting together the inaugural Curator’s Cut film series was not an easy task for our curatorial team. 

“We have chosen short documentary style films and coupled them with post-show talks with people connected to the film or experts on the subject” says Anneke Barnes, Manager of Community Engagement. 

Following the screening of How the West was Lost, Jan Richardson, Darwin local and author will reflect on the Aboriginal strikers’ struggle. In 1969 Jan lived and worked with the Nyangumarta, Nyamal, Nyiyaparli, Kariyarra Strikers’ group alongside Don McLeod whose biography she is currently writing. 

The 2018 Curator’s Cut program includes:
Wednesday 19 September - How the West was Lost (part of Darwin International Film Festival)
Wednesday 3 October – Buffalo Legends
Wednesday 7 November – Country Outcasts and Sunshine Club: Days of Old Darwin
Wednesday 5 December – The Search for the Shell Encrusted Toilet Seat

Seats are limited to each screening and bookings are recommended.