David Gulpilil in conversation with Margaret Pomeranz

From his very first film role in Nicolas Roeg’s landmark 1971 film Walkabout, the on-screen charisma of David Gulpilil was undeniable. Just 16 years old at the time, Gulpilil had the kind of presence - as both an actor and dancer - that held viewers entranced.
Walkabout made the Yolngu man a star and in the decades since his debut, he’s become a regular (and often scene-stealing) performer in some of Australia’s best-loved films, including Storm Boy, Crocodile Dundee, Ten Canoes, Rabbit Proof Fence, The Proposition and Australia. Following last year’s performance in Charlie’s Country, directed by Rolf de Heer, he netted a Best Actor (Un Certain Regard) at Cannes - proving Gulpilil is an artist at the height of his powers.
His latest project is the documentary Another Country, directed by Molly Reynolds, the third part of the critically acclaimed Country suite (following Charlie's Country, and Reynolds' Still Our Country - Reflections on a Culture). Narrated and guided by Gulpilil himself, Another Country is an attempt to make sense of how modern Indigenous voices can exist between cultures.
If there’s any other David in the Australian film industry who should appear alongside Margaret Pomeranz - it’s this David. The illustrious pair talk about Gulpilil’s past, present and future in this celebration of his ongoing contribution to Australian film.

[@Theodorej1960]

I absolutely LOVE David Gulpilil. He is truly an Australian treasure.

[@funkykoala261]

Me too he is so humble. I met him in real life. Such a gentleman.

[@samuelwilliams1042]

What an incredible man. Huge heart. Walkabout is one of my favourite ever films. A reminder too that we need to do a lot more for aboriginal peoples.

[@trinderella3738]

Australian film royalty. Incredible actor. Thank you David.

[@fingerprint5511]

Love how natural David still is, all the questions of the Western world of being in awe of other people, believing you are someone so important, the questions are superficial and David just does not care and has no tickets on himself. I loved him since Storm Boy as a child bless his heart 🙏

[@walterzamalis4846]

He reminds me so much of my grandfather, a very cool, funny, clever and enigmatic man. I hope he gets better from his lung cancer, aroha to you David from NZ

[@Ghostmanriding]

The camera loved David. He was a natural actor and story teller. One of the best.

[@kimfox5071]

She wants to talk about white man stuff and he wants to talk like his people do and tell his stories. She struggles to understand and navigate that. Beautiful man.

[@AsinineComment]

A challenging man, in many ways - and for the most part, that's a bloody good thing. Challenging the viewers of his art, challenging expectations of him, challenging to work with, challenging to direct, challenging himself, challenging the boundaries of his craft, and I imagine challenging other Indigenous artists to challenge themselves to do even more and go even further. Bless this beautiful bloke.

[@colinmacdonald2839]

keep telling all the stories and you are a true legand and repesent native austrailians in a very positive way

[@Brenzzy]

David and his first film Walkabout had a big impact and influence on my life. I saw this film as a young girl and was forever not only fiercely advocating of Aborigines thereafter, but was also admirable of ethnicities outside of my own white one. I’m an old woman now. I cried when David died. He was a rare, precious, beautiful and influential human being and I will miss him immensely.

[@JanisButler-ps4tf]

Will call him galipil as believe it means kingfisher was privileged to meet aborigine people went to Oz when 9 school in kingaroy Queensland had aborigine schoolfriend back to kangaroo Island karta Adelaide

[@johnyarrmakayn7305]

RIP ICON And Yep We Still Got The Culture & Still Rolling here in ARNHEM LAND Ramingining Community ❤️💛🖤

[@johnyarrmakayn7305]

We give BIG Thanks and Love to our Yolngu Legend Icon And the People involved with Filming Him that He Shared our Culture To the World Once again Thank You All Love gose to all of you From His People back here in ARNHEM LAND ❤️💛🖤

[@debradireen3625]

I’m sad to hear of David’s’ passing wonderful actor and human being

[@shjakes]

So enjoyed this interview with this very real man. In the best of health...may he Live Long & Prosper!

[@sundarmann6167]

Australia's homegrown 'gem of a talent'.

[@MikeAnderson-mh2og]

mattbod I'm a twat for speaking the truth ? Are you an Abo ?

[@chancoo2896]

Mike Anderson 2002 aboriginal their is a reason the word original is in aboriginal get it right

[@NwoDispatcher]

Im tired of the analingus of European diasporic community they have for others

[@carolinepercy1216]

✌

[@gamarranma585]

big respect and love for Yolngu.

[@lyndah9185]

Your spirit lives on... rest in peace 💕

[@Thornus_______]

So sad to hear about his declining health and him missing his homeland in The Northern Territory

[@ScottSmith-bc5vs]

I only just learned of Davids death. I didnt know him well. Only in passing for a short while. Still i enjoyed his company. He was such a good person. Fair well my friend.

[@zapkvr]

Vale Sir. Respect. A life well lived

[@rchydrozz751]

I didnt know he has had was such a long acting history. I've only seen him in Crocodile Dundee.

[@damiangallegos652]

Her hearts in the right place. She just couldn’t begin to close the gap. Would have been better served letting him expound and speak on his terms.

[@Mexxx65]

1953 - 2021 68yrs David Gulpilil Rest In Peace now

[@lilliankaradada1214]

He is one of the best Aboriginal actor of all time 👍

[@kalea72ify]

Legend, Best of the best

[@wildearthsaved111]

he s a masterclass and preseve the bush , What diserve the world is ignorance and closed minded , he s a very great man !

[@jamaicanaturally]

The interviewer is dreadful. David Gulpilil is brilliant!!

[@fingerprint5511]

Because she knows zero about David and the Aboriginal culture, expecting him to act like someone full of himself ... it's actually valuable to watch as we see the World and we see Nature and which is more natural, valuable 🙏

[@carolinepercy1216]

✌

[@vonclaren1]

pretentious old bag has no idea what he's talking about

[@elsakristina2689]

Just found out a few days ago that he's retired... and he's ill with lung cancer. He's had a fascinating life and a great career.

[@elsakristina2689]

I can’t help but think of him as kinda the Australian equivalent of Gordon Tootoosis because David is like the go-to guy for Aboriginal movies like Gordon was for Native American and Western movies. But of course David is very much his own person ^^

[@eleanoredis6284]

Beautiful and talented man. Interviewer not able to respond to any of his wonderful stories. Quite difficult to watch the cavernous gap between them. Not his fault.

[@carolinepercy1216]

✌

[@AmongGumTrees]

After watching the whole thing, I didn't think it was bad overall. She was respectful in letting him tell his stories even when it didn't always go in the direction she'd planned. They were both relaxed and shared some laughs and more emotion towards the end. I enjoyed it.

[@roslechte]

I reckon she did a good job of the interview

[@roslechte]

@@AmongGumTrees l agree with you

[@mattbod]

Guy should be worth millions. Sad how he has been exploited in his film roles. Glad he has knocked the booze and doing ok.

[@walkman7191]

Yes, while he's down here in M.B. he avoids all the pressures from up home. He currently still has trouble with his feet though.

[@ld5667]

@@walkman7191 what pressures from up home where you referring to

[@lindsaybidingal5615]

Miss you grandpa! 😭✌️

[@lindsaybidingal5615]

🤣👎

[@richardjarrell3585]

RIP 29 November 2021

[@diamondfilms5227]

Yes Margaret isn't comprehending what he's saying

[@pizzafrenzyman]

He had such amazing hunting skills.

[@manofTao]

I always thought David Gulpilil is Camaron's brother from another mother. Love them both :)

[@kimfox5071]

Also the queen asking if he has a tail. Does she not know anything about the country her ancestors invaded and stole. I would have liked to have heard that she had done a bit more investigation into his culture.

[@gipsi2001]

wrong, a kid was saying that 4:47. check it out

[@iVenge]

The Last Wave... “who are you who are you who are you who are you who are you who are you who are you who are you”

[@1ouncebird]

A great scene from the Last Wave. I saw that in the theater as a teenager and was immediately entranced by the story, the mysterious, to me, Australian Aborigines' dream time idea and of course the wonderful David Gulpilil. What a film.

[@kalosany8046]

David the Real Australian black diamond

[@finvandewall2445]

we are all one red blood

[@Callofmysubzphotosho]

Rip fulla

[@anapenteado7227]

46:00 you commence to comprehend what Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Knowledge is.

[@goodvibes.9956]

RIP David Gulpill

[@fionaallan3204]

As a small Scottish girl living in a scheme..I saw David as freedom.

[@tomanypeople9388]

What a truley great Australian and a real Aboriginal . Not a mostly white who claim to be black.

[@garyhillman4993]

David was amazing in walkabout Such a beautiful film and jenny agutter wow stunning woman I think all boys my age then around 16/17 fell in love with Jenny

[@georgekay3183]

RIP David. You're with Dennis now in heaven.

[@timwright1563]

Thank you

[@aspidoscelis]

A note for anyone trying to do inclusivity well: At 3:48, move her microphone further away. Or, better, just deal with it in the audio mixing, but I assume there was some technical reason not to do that. The problem, in any case, is that she's much louder than he is-so fix the problem in a way that doesn't imply he's "doing it wrong".

[@lisarochwarg4707]

41:01 Such a living doll back in those days.

[@godislord3377]

The first time I saw david was in the film mad dog morgan....

[@kikarboota16]

Love is 63

[@kikarboota16]

Yes Elder Sir is Father Palistine +

[@mk-nr4kb]

love you! watch over we us.

[@JohnKooz]

David Gulpilil reminds me of my shrink lol.

[@peteraitken2225]

Thank you Margaret what a wonder full interview and a Beautiful man and culture shared

[@peteraitken2225]

Thank you David and all original aboriginals for our home

[@twoflyinghats]

He was such a brilliant man! Shame about the really pathetic American video speech to text getting so much of the speech wrong. It's best to turn it off as it's so silly.

[@malgal8972]

Poor Margaret.!!

[@lilakf9475]

I’m a Australian but I do NOT have a clue of what this mans talking about I can’t understand what his saying

[@melvinseriz]

ah ah I'm from France and I can understand him ! :D

[@NARROWGUT]

Hi. Try this. Either close your eyes, or dim the visual and replace with an image of an Australian outback scene that you personally like or better still, go outside at night if possible and look up at the sky and stars. Put on some headphones to block out other sounds with the volume at a comfortable level that works for you. Sit and Listen.....and let David's voice do the rest. I have lived and worked along with these people on and off all my life and as the years go by, my respect and admiration never ceases. Be Well....

[@SW-hu7qw]

David is a good soul. She does not know how to vibe with him it seems. She keeps asking all these artsy fartsy questions and David doesn’t think like that. Its great watching him but this is a terrible interview nothing is clicking because she don’t get it. I wish he was interviewed by someone who gets him. I also find myself distracted by how wrinkled her hands are cant stop noticing how mummified parts of her look.

[@peteraitken2225]

All these celebrities David has met and talked about wonder if he realizes he is more down to earth and special than all of them put together soul salt of the earth man

[@peteraitken2225]

Got to love the oldest culture on earth and Baiame s boys for those not in the know GOD I call this place EDEN

[@peteraitken2225]

You hollow out the best ship on earth Eden AUS and sink it God is not going to be happy with how you treated his children either This is my view now i know where i got it from Thank you David one of the wisest people ever

[@Ramona608]

The 2019’ version Storm Girl 👩🏻‍⚕️ retelling the story, but the boy is a girl✌️ that’s imagination 🤩....ain’t it 🎥

[@kikarboota16]

Would and Will Konteenew

[@vedics929]

As a Canadian it is VERY VERY hard to understand him ...

[@shellymenzies841]

Yes, English is his second language.

[@albertarthurparsnips5141]

There are a lot of indigenous Australians who are fortunate enough not to have been saturated with English. He can both understand abc speak it. A good many cannot. And I hope and pray that they shall never have the need to do so.

[@NARROWGUT]

Hi Vedic S.....have a look at my reply above to lil akf. It might help. Be Well.

[@harleetriffett7951]

For someone speaking in a second language he does really well.

[@daviddangerfield1023]

Australian cinema royalty! please check out The Music Of The Spheres : The Songlines Of Orpheus' by David Dangerfield . a young adult fantasy fiction paperback and eBook available worldwide online or in store, featuring Australian indigenous, youth, music, political and metaphysical themes... Story synopsis: The world of the not-too distant future is plagued with ecological disaster, economic collapse and ruled by a tyrannical corporation called Omni. A 12-year old Afghan named Orpheus, cast among millions of ecological and political victims within a mass detention centre in central Australia, can bend reality with their singing voice... Careful to evade Omni's brutal oppression and obsessive control over emerging new dimensional possibilities known as the 'The Spheres', Orpheus teaches their gifts there to a growing counter culture of 'Orphics'. With the help of a blind Australian indigenous elder named Yunuringa and the arrival of the comet causing the dimensional anomalies, prophesied to be an anancient artificial intelligence arc known as The Argus, Orpheus leads the Orphics at mass Corroborees in The Spheres... With collective voice, they heal the sick, empower the poor and mend the Earth's ecology... evolving the hearts and minds of all who can hear... The Music of the Spheres..

[@kikarboota16]

SolaymaAn

[@colinmacdonald2839]

ONLY AUTRAILANS ARE DAVID

[@ninjapirate123]

Well he's no longer alive

[@kikarboota16]

ChikaA PA

[@TheMedicineShell]

This woman is a horrible interviewer. RIP David

[@kikarboota16]

+5$

[@michaelboylan5308]

Film directors are drawn inexorably to the Outback, What are they looking for,,,Jean Jacques Rousseau, And who do they always find,,,Jean Jacques Rousseau, Gulpilil must have grown tired playing characters from C18 French philosophy, Walkabout is actually a bad French film,,,pretentious and banal,,chockablock with Rousseau motifs,Screenplay by Edward Bond,,,ultra Marxist evangelist,,who found the Paris Commune in the Outback,Rousseau Marx and Coca Cola, Never has a burning car had to carry such a weight of symbolism,,Non indigenous film making must be banned in the Outback,