Past screenings
Castlemaine Documentary Festival shows films throughout the year that challenge, provoke, and invite reflection on the strength of persistance, resistance, truth-telling and the ongoing legacies of colonisation.
29 May 2025 – Blak Douglass vs The Commonwealth
11th May 2025 – Motherhood in the Colony
Blak Douglas vs The Commonwealth
Castlemaine — Thursday 29th May. 7:30pm
Bendigo — Saturday 31st May 5:00pm
Presented as part of the Central Victorian Indigenous Film Festival (CVIFF). In partnership with Theatre Royal
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.
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
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.
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.