Programmer's Note

On the morning of November 19, 2004, Cameron Doomadgee was arrested for allegedly swearing at Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley. Forty-five minutes later, Doomadgee lay dead in a police cell from massive internal injuries. The first documentary from noted Australian filmmaker Tony Krawitz, The Tall Man charts the gripping story of two men from completely different worlds, whose tragic meeting polarized both a community and a country.

Palm Island, Australia, is a beautiful tropical island on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, the home of a unique Aboriginal community with a complex history dating back to its origins as a reserve in the late nineteenth century. It is also a difficult place to be a police officer, a place where domestic violence and mistrust between the white and Aboriginal populations is rife.

Krawitz’s superb storytelling skills elevate The Tall Man to much more than a recitation of a series of events. He delves deeply, layer by layer, into the complex family connections and histories within the Palm Island Aboriginal community, and sensitively portrays the confusion, anger and grief of the closely knit Doomadgee family as they struggle to understand the circumstances of Cameron’s death. Krawitz affords similar care and consideration to the story’s other side, exploring the intricate and often enigmatic personality and career of the well-regarded Hurley (the “tall man” from the title), whose actions were open to many interpretations.

The Tall Man avoids passing judgment as much as possible; instead, it lets those involved in the case tell their stories, and allows the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Editor Rochelle Oshlack shows a firm grasp of the material, and along with Krawitz, shapes the footage into a moving and absolutely engrossing story, graciously supported by Antony Partos’ score.

The Tall Man will have a special resonance for Canadian audiences, as we have only recently begun to grapple with the dark history surrounding the systemic mistreatment of our country’s First Nations people. The film is also a stern reminder that there are two sides to every story, especially one so morally complex.