Warwick Thornton, the director behind Samson & Delilah and The New Boy, is confirmed to be directing the new drama feature First Warrior.
First Warrior, described as ‘an epic feature film’ about Australian Aboriginal resistance fighter Pemulwuy, follows the Bidjigal man of the Sydney tribes as he leads a 12-year resistance against British settlers who moved into his people’s traditional lands during the colonisation of Australia in the 1700s.
Sam Worthington (Avatar, Hacksaw Ridge) and Jason Clarke (Oppenheimer, Zero Dark Thirty) are already confirmed to star, with a search underway to cast the roles of Pemulwuy, as well as Bennelong – who will be shown in the film as being kidnapped by Governor Arthur Phillip to start a dialogue with Indigenous Australians.
‘I am so honoured to be a part of this amazing film. It’s an important story with an awesome script and legendary actors,’ said Thornton.
First Warrior is supported by the Bidjigal, Dharawal and Dharug Elders and is led by an all-Indigenous core creative team including Thornton, writer Jon Bell (The Moogai, Cleverman) and writer-producer Andrew Dillon (Le Champion, Outliers), a direct descendent of both the Dharug and Gomeroi people who will produce under the 100% Indigenous First Nations That’s-A-Wrap Productions banner.
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Camera d’Or award-winning director Thornton will also be working alongside BAFTA nominated and AACTA Award-winning screenwriters Stuart Beattie (Collateral, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl), Phillip Noyce (Rabbit-Proof Fence, Salt) and Shana Levine (The Portable Door, Charlie & Boots).
‘It has been a lifelong goal of mine to have our Indigenous warriors celebrated on the silver screen,’ Andrew Dillon said.
‘I can’t wait for audiences to not only experience Warwick’s vision for this story but to leave the cinema with a newfound appreciation of Australia’s shared history’.
Attendees of the 2024 SXSW Sydney conference can catch Warwick Thornton giving a live director’s commentary session, offering insights into each of his past features.
ScreenHub: SXSW Sydney 2024 confirms Warwick Thornton for Conference program
First Warrior does not yet have a confirmed release date.
