Real Stories. Real Characters. Real Conversations.
The Castlemaine Documentary Festival takes place every year in mid-winter at the Theatre Royal, an iconic venue in central Victoria, Castlemaine, about 90 minutes from Melbourne. The Festival offers a curated program of superb Australian and international non-fiction films. Audiences are introduced to a series of fascinating worlds populated by captivating characters. With themed social events, industry panels and Q&A sessions, the aim is that the discussions continue long after the credits have rolled.
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Coming Up Next:
Two powerful films this May
Club CDoc in partnership with the Theatre Royal is proud to present two special events this May — films that challenge, provoke, and invite reflection on the ongoing legacies of colonisation and the strength of resistance, storytelling, and truth-telling.
Through these screenings, we stand in solidarity with First Nations peoples here and Indigenous communities everywhere — honouring their stories, struggles, and enduring fight for justice, sovereignty, and cultural survival.
Motherhood in the Colony
In partnership with Theatre Royal
MOTHER’S DAY: Sunday, 11th May. 7:00pm
Motherhood is the transmission of wisdom across time and generations. Join us for a special Mother’s Day screening of Motherhood in the Colony, a moving storytelling project that brings together First Nations and Palestinian women, exploring the connections and shared struggles of Indigenous women through the lens of motherhood. Directed by acclaimed Worimi filmmaker Genevieve Grieves and Palestinian artist Aseel Tayah, the film invites audiences to listen, learn, and imagine a future beyond the structures of colonisation.
All profits from the event will be donated to Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation and Mutual Aid Market Castlemaine in support of their ongoing community-led work. Nalderun provides vital educational and cultural programs led by Aboriginal people for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. Mutual Aid Market Castlemaine is currently raising funds to directly support families in Gaza. More information is available at the event.
Complimentary entry for First Nations and Palestinian attendees. We kindly ask you to register so we can plan for numbers.
Blak Douglas vs The Commonwealth
Presented as part of the Central Victorian Indigenous Film Festival (CVIFF)
In partnership with Theatre Royal
Castlemaine: Thursday, 29th May. 7:30pm
Bendigo: Saturday, 31st May. 5:00pm
Renowned artist Blak Douglas uses his own story and searing artwork to reckon with Australia’s colonial past — a powerful, unapologetic exploration of truth and transformation.
When Blak Douglas sets out to paint a portrait of his grandmother, he uncovers a buried history that reshapes his understanding of family, identity, and country. Taken as a child and forced into domestic servitude, her story leads him to the haunting legacy of the Cootamundra Girls Home and the bureaucratic machinery that fractured generations of Indigenous lives. Through archival records, personal reflections, and bold, satirical art, the Dhungatti artist confronts intergenerational trauma with unflinching honesty. Blak Douglas vs The Commonwealth is a compelling exploration of truth-telling and transformation, told entirely in the artist’s voice, on his terms.
Complimentary entry for First Nations attendees. We kindly ask you to register so we can plan for numbers.
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