Director
Stephen Johnson
(Yolngu Boy)
Starring
Simon Baker, Jacob Junior Nayinggul, Jack Thompson
The latest film from Stephen Johnson (Yolngu Boy) might end up being one of the best, and most confronting Australian films of the year. Beginning its story in Arnhem Land in 1919, High Ground introduces us to Baywara, an Aboriginal tribesman teaching his young nephew, Gutjuk, to hunt for food when they are interrupted by two men fleeing a white owned station nearby. When Baywara and the elders of his community decide to hide the two men, they are soon tracked down by some local white policemen, led by Travis (Simon Baker) and Eddy (Callan Mulvey). Events quickly spiral out of control, resulting in a brutal massacre of most of Baywara and Gutjuk’s family and community. Gutjuk manages to survive the slaughter and is taken by Travis and Eddy to a nearby mission. Travis, disgusted by the senseless brutality he has witnessed, leaves the area, only to be summoned back 12 years later when an Aboriginal warrior begins to attack white settlers. It’s soon realised that Baywara also survived the massacre and is actively seeking revenge. Travis enlists the services of a now teenage Gutjuk to help track down his uncle and try to take him into custody. What follows is a cunning game of cat and mouse, where both sides believe they are the cat.
It would be easy to dismiss High Ground as a basic, fanciful ‘revenge-action’ if not for the fact that the type of brutality on display throughout the film would have taken place at many stages in the history of the colonisation of Australia. Stephen Johnson isn’t afraid to make his audience (particularly his white audience) uncomfortable at what they’re watching. What he does particularly well is show the nuances of both cultures without falling into the trap of making one side entirely good or entirely evil, and whilst there are white characters that are sympathetic to the plight of the Aboriginal people, he doesn’t turn this into a ‘white saviour’ film either. He presents jarring truths against a picturesque and breathtaking Australian landscape, the juxtaposition of which forms into a meaningful conflict within your subconscious.
Simon Baker is perfect as the strong and moralistic, but similarly imperfect ex-soldier, torn between what he’s duty bound to undertake, and what he feels is the right path. But the real star of the show is Jacob Junior Nayinggul as the grown Gutjuk. Prior to filming High Ground, Nayinggul had no acting experience whatsoever and was only asked to be an extra to begin with, but you wouldn’t know it to see the power and restraint in his performance here. Similarly impactful is Esmerelda Marimowa as the badass Gulwirri, a warrior woman more than capable of holding her own against any of the men who are hunting Baywara. Both actors were in fact rangers in the Gunbalanya Community in East Arnhem Land when asked to appear in the film, but hopefully this won’t be the last we see of either of them on our screens.
High Ground is the perfect combination of engaging storytelling and thought provocation, with some incredible cinematography to heighten the experience. Stephen Johnson and his crew have created a truly visceral experience that will stay with you once the credits have finished rolling.
Trailer
Moviedoc 
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