Banduk

There is no dialogue in the film. The story is instead told in its imagery. The boy and girl siblings in the story (Banduk and Yalumul) realise that the ice-cream van owners are smuggling native animals out of Australia, including one of the Yolngu sacred animals, the red-collared lorikeet, or lindrij. With the help of Banduk's grandfather, they manage to trap the smugglers and are given a reward.^[3][2]

The subplot involves the children raising money to buy musical instruments for their band.^[2]

The cast is as follows:^[2]

• Garry McDonald – Mr Kool
• Jone/Joan Winchester – Mrs Kool
• Bayulma Marika – Banduk^[a][3]
• Yalumul Marika – Yalumul
• Roy Marika – Grandad
• Gurumin Marika – Father
• Banduk Marika – Aunt
• Tommy Munyurran – Police aide

Renowned Yolngu artist Banduk Marika served as Aboriginal consultant, and also played the role of Aunt in the film. Roy Marika, Banduk's uncle and renowned artist, plays the grandfather.^[2]

The film was made by Channel 9 (now Nine Network) for the Second European Broadcasting Union (EBU) Drama Exchange for children, and released on Channel 9 in July 1985.^[2] It was released in the UK by Thames Television.^[5]

Cinema Papers gave the film a mediocre review,^[2] but The Sydney Morning Herald (Deirdre McPherson) called it charming in its simplicity, and Bayulma Marika said it was "most appealing as Banduk".^[3]