For thousands of years, ancient cultures have formed beliefs about the afterlife, many of which persist to this day. Director Warwick Thornton (Samson & Delilah) celebrates the spirituality of one group, the indigenous people of his native Australia, with the storytelling documentary The Darkside. A trailer for the film has now been released, and it gives movie goers a look at some supernatural tales from Down Under.
Thornton and his team collected a number of firsthand experiences related to the Aboriginal religion, which revolves around two dimensions – one of the living, and one of the dead – and uses the accounts to show what happens when the worlds meet. In a genre-blurring move, the accounts are monologued by some top Aussie talents, including Bryan Brown (Cocktail) and Deborah Mailman (The Sapphires). Those interested in the paranormal should find the true stories intriguing, even if they are presented in a dramatized fashion. See trailer and synopsis below:
Synopsis:
The award-winning creative force behind the exquisite Samson & Delilah return with a groundbreaking and unnerving project… true stories from the other side.
Aboriginal people live on the threshold of two worlds – one of everyday reality and the other of spirits, demons and entities. They can live an ordinary life with dead ancestors and demons all vying for space.
Director Warwick Thornton assembles a collection of poignant, sad, funny and absurd ghost tales from across Australia and brings them to life with some of Australia’s most iconic actors as the storytellers. Honest, matter-of-fact firsthand accounts illuminate a black perspective on the other side.
The Darkside has yet to see a US release date.
Do you think The Darkside looks spooky? Would you like to see it come to the US?