Blak Douglas vs The Commonwealth

Shot before Blak Douglas won the Archibald Prize in 2022, this documentary focuses on the artist as he researches his family, exploring the life of his grandmother and painting her portrait as part of a triptych exhibited at the National Gallery of Australia’s Indigenous Art Triennial: Defying Empire. 

The filmmaker follows the artist as he investigates his story about family, culture, art and colonialism, and exposing the painful truth that his grandmother was torn from her family as a child by the Aboriginal Protection Board and forced into servitude.

Uruguayan/Australian director Angelica Cristina Dio creates a compelling portrait of the artist as he examines his own experiences and creative practice in light of his research. 

A film about creativity, family, culture and identity, Blak Douglas vs the Commonwealth is a powerful documentary work that needs to be seen.