First Contact
Synopsis
"First Contact" is a 1983 documentary by Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson which recounts the discovery of a flourishing native population in the interior highlands of New Guinea in 1930 in what had been thought to be an uninhabited area. It is based on the book of the same name by the same authors. Inhabitants of the region and surviving members of the Leahy brothers' gold prospecting party recount their astonishment at this unforeseen meeting. The film includes still photographs taken by a member of the expedition and contemporary footage of the island's terrain. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Part of the The Highlands Trilogy
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Release History & Theatrical Window
Chicago Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robin Anderson, Bob Connolly
- Original Title
- First Contact
- Country of Origin
- Australia, Canada, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 58m
- Production Studios
- Arundel Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robin Anderson, Bob Connolly
Martyn Down, Stewart Young
Robin Anderson, Bob Connolly
Department Leadership Roster
Robin Anderson
Director
Bob Connolly
Director
Robin Anderson
Producer
Bob Connolly
Producer
Martyn Down
Editor
Stewart Young
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for First Contact.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring First Contact.
500 best 82's movies
Oscar Best Documentary Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Documentary Nominees
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Academy Award – Best Documentary Feature
Complete list of Academy Award – Best Documentary Feature nominees and winners (curated; includes TV-classified works per AMPAS database).
Award-Winning & Nominated Movies (1980_1989)
English-language feature movies released between 1980 and 1989 that received significant recognition from the Oscars, Emmys, Golden Globes, or Directors Guild — including both winners and nominees across all categories.
Similar Titles to First Contact
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
4.5
7.1
6.0
6.9
6.7
6.3
10.0
7.7
6.8
5.0
More Like First Contact
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About First Contact
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is First Contact about?
"First Contact" is a 1983 documentary by Bob Connolly and Robin Anderson which recounts the discovery of a flourishing native population in the interior highlands of New Guinea in 1930 in what had been thought to be an uninhabited area. It is based on the book of the same name by the same authors. Inhabitants of the region and surviving members of the Leahy brothers' gold prospecting party recount their astonishment at this unforeseen meeting. The film includes still photographs taken by a member of the expedition and contemporary footage of the island's terrain. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
Who directed First Contact?
First Contact was directed by Robin Anderson, Bob Connolly.
Who stars in First Contact?
The principal cast of First Contact includes Michael Leahy, Daniel Leahy, James Leahy.
When was First Contact released and how long is it?
First Contact was released in 1982 with a total runtime of 58m.