Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Ablaze

Play trailer Poster for Ablaze 2021 1h 21m Documentary Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 7 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Ablaze tells the story of Bill Onus, a Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri man from Victoria, a truly heroic cultural and political figure who revived his people's culture in the 1940s and ignited a civil rights movement that would, against enormous odds, change the course of history. Through rare archival footage, state-of-the-art animation, vividly created digital motion graphics and eye-witness accounts, Ablaze is the compelling tale -- part detective story, part contemporary opera -- of how Bill and supporters brilliantly orchestrated their campaign for equality through performance, entertainment, film and sheer audacity outsmarted mighty forces seeking to destroy Indigenous cultures, languages, and communities.

Critics Reviews

View All (7) Critics Reviews
David Stratton The Australian The film is superbly made and important in its reminders – through one man’s remarkable life – of the struggles of Indigenous people in the all-too-recent past. Rated: 4/5 May 31, 2022 Full Review Jake Wilson The Age (Australia) For all the background detail filled in by their interviewees, there’s still no certainty about who shot the film or why. Still, the footage is miraculous in its own right, the kind of direct window onto a lost world only the moving image can provide. Rated: 3/5 May 27, 2022 Full Review Stephen A. Russell AEU News This heart-soaring doco from his grandson, working alongside historian and co-director Alec Morgan, writes Bill’s mighty contribution to Country back into the records. Jul 21, 2022 Full Review Sarah Ward Concrete Playground Deeply personal for one of its directors, intensely powerful in surveying Australia's treatment of its First Peoples and crucial in celebrating perhaps the country's first-ever Aboriginal filmmaker, Ablaze makes for astonishing viewing. Jun 24, 2022 Full Review Travis Johnson Flicks (AU, NZ, UK) What really impresses is how full Ablaze feels, as though the film can barely contain the sheer wealth of stories that Onus’ life encompassed. Jun 7, 2022 Full Review Jane Freebury Jane Freebury A remarkable, revelatory documentary journey framed in a sleuthing narrative that contains harrowing historical detail and makes a profound point about retaining cultural expression, language and community Rated: 4/5 Jun 7, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1) audience reviews
Audience Member Overall, this is a powerful and insightful documentary that everyone should watch, not just those who love cinema.  It's a touching story that includes interesting mysteries along the way and moments that are heartbreaking and sad to experience.  I feel this is a highly educational feature, and I appreciated the level of detail and insight.  Witnessing rare videos and photos be completely restored to a premium quality helped deliver a powerful and memorable investigation into Australian history. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/11/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Ablaze

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

More Like This

View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
Jimmy in Saigon 86% % Jimmy in Saigon Watchlist The Movie Man % % The Movie Man Watchlist In the Trenches: The Making of Before Dawn % % In the Trenches: The Making of Before Dawn Watchlist Kids Are Growing Up % % Kids Are Growing Up Watchlist Once Upon a Time in Uganda 95% 79% Once Upon a Time in Uganda Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More
View All Ablaze photos

Ablaze

Ablaze (2021) Ablaze (2021) Ablaze (2021) Ablaze (2021) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Ablaze tells the story of Bill Onus, a Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri man from Victoria, a truly heroic cultural and political figure who revived his people's culture in the 1940s and ignited a civil rights movement that would, against enormous odds, change the course of history. Through rare archival footage, state-of-the-art animation, vividly created digital motion graphics and eye-witness accounts, Ablaze is the compelling tale -- part detective story, part contemporary opera -- of how Bill and supporters brilliantly orchestrated their campaign for equality through performance, entertainment, film and sheer audacity outsmarted mighty forces seeking to destroy Indigenous cultures, languages, and communities.
Director
Alec Morgan, Tiriki Onus
Producer
Tom Zubrycki
Screenwriter
Alec Morgan, Tiriki Onus
Production Co
Jotz Productions
Genre
Documentary, Biography
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 21m