As the rise in player participation and spectator interest continues to rise in women’s sport, it’s no surprise that the grassroots, underdog stories of the up-and-coming generations of female athletic talent, especially in a sport so heavily grounded in Indigenous Australian culture like Aussie Rules footy, are coming out of the woodworks and being told on a cinematic scale. Stories like the one of four incredibly gifted Tiwi Island Indigenous girls who dream of AFLW (Australian Football League Womens) stardom, in the documentary, Like My Brother.
Based in the community of Tiwi, two islands located north of Darwin, four young women – Rina, Freda, Julianna, and Jess are considered some of the best footballers on their college team. A college system, led by coaches who seems to genuinely care about these women and want to propel them into action, that gains the attention of talent scouts who may be able to steer towards the path of their collective dream – to play in the AFLW.
However, the pursuit of the dream isn’t as simple for these young women, when traditions and customs of a woman’s role in the community contradict their ambitions. Or when the reality of funding the four to travel from the Tiwi Islands to Melbourne is not a factor considered by those who offer the foot in the door. Or even when the simple, overbearing feeling of the fear of not fitting in weighs down on the confidence of these athletes.
Capturing the 6-year long journey of these four young women, directors Sal Balharrie and Danielle Maclean do not shy away from the heartbreaking reality and obstacles that young Indigenous women face when opportunities like this appear. The striking reality of the difference in things like privilege, desire, community, and societal constructs being told from an Indigenous perspective, are explored in depth by the filmmakers, but never at the cost of also being an uplifting, inspiring tale of what it takes to chase a dream in spite of the obstacles placed before someone.
Like My Brother is a fascinating and informative look at the unique hurdles that Indigenous women face, but it’s even the personal hurdles that these women face enhance the relatability that a lot of audiences will connect too. The fear of leaving behind family and community lingers but is often also fuelled by a desire to find purpose larger than what these girls have been told they’re capable of. The emotional intimacy that comes across on screen grabs on to the heart and doesn’t let go for 90 minutes.
Like My Brother is in Australian cinemas October 17.
