SongRites Wrong Side of the Road

  • First Nations
  • Cinema
  • Playhouse
  • Run time - 80 minutes, no interval

A classic First Nations rock’n’road movie, delivered with a soaring soundtrack

Australia | 1981 | English | Drama | M

This documentary-style classic 80s drama follows the Indigenous bands Us Mob and No Fixed Address as they move from gig to gig. Blending dramatisation with real events, it captures the energy of life on tour while exposing the racism, hostility and harassment the musicians faced.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that content from this event may contain images and voices of deceased persons.

Wrong Side of the Road has been described as “a road movie, a protest film, a political film, a rock film,” evolving as a collaboration between the filmmakers, the community and the young musicians featured in the film. Although this film has a strong documentary feel, it is a constructed drama, stylistically accomplishing what would otherwise have been an interview situation with talking heads.

Winning the AFI Jury Prize in 1981, Wrong Side of the Road was an emergent work whose themes and content evolved from workshopping the central characters, resulting in a music-driven exposé through which personal stories were woven. Restored by National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.

The Sydney Opera House thanks Event Sponsor Sydney Harbour Federation Trust and Idealist donors R O Albert Family and Dr Russell & Jane Kift for their generous support of SongRites.

A very special thank you to Yuwaalaraay Wirringgaa artist Lucy Simpson for the creation of our DanceRites artwork.

Presented by Sydney Opera House and National Film and Sound Archive of Australia

Event details

Credits

Ned Lander
Director

Graeme Isaac, Ned Lander
Scriptwriters

Cast

Ronnie Ansell
Peter Butler
Les Graham
Chris Haywood
Chris Jones
Carroll Karpanny
Wally McArthur
John Miller
Veronica Rankine
Bart Willoughby

Event sponsor

  • Harbour Trust

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Attending this event

Plan your visit

Address

Sydney Opera House
Bennelong Point
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Getting to the venue

The Opera House is a 7-10 minute walk from Circular Quay, and is easily accessible by car, train, ferry, lightrail, bus, bike and on foot.

Location and access

Playhouse

The Playhouse is located in the north-western corner of Sydney Opera House, best accessed through the Western Foyers.

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