The Skin of Others | 91min | Documentary | 2022 | Australia | Writer/Director: Tom Murray
A story of modern Australia, told through the extraordinary life of Aboriginal WW1 soldier Douglas Grant (c.1885-1951). A famous man in his day, Grant is a Forrest Gump figure … if Gump had been black, an intellectual, a journalist, a soldier, and a bagpipe player with a fine Scottish accent. Featuring the acclaimed Indigenous actor Balang Tom E. Lewis in his final performance (as Douglas Grant) and guest appearances from Max Cullen and Archie Roach, this film movingly interweaves the lives of Grant and Lewis: two truly remarkable men. Compellingly, this is also the story of Australia, its violent past and its future potential. It recounts a tragic national history of Australian colonial relations with First Nations people, explores the ways we tell the story of our nation, and ultimately dreams of a more reconciled and inclusive Australian future.