When the Dogs Talked
Synopsis
As a group of Indigenous adults argue about whether to save their government housing or their sacred landscape, their children struggle to decide how the ancestral Dreaming makes sense in their contemporary lives. Listening to music on their ipods, walking though bush lands, and boating across seas, they follow their parents on a journey to reenact the travel of the Dog Dreaming. Along the way individuals run out of stamina and boats out of gas, and the children press their parents and each other about why these stories matter and how they make sense in the context of Western understandings of evolution, the soundscapes of hip hop, and the technologies of land development. "When the Dogs Talked" mixes documentary and fiction to produce a thoughtful yet humorous drama about the everyday obstacles of structural and racialized poverty and the dissonance of cultural narratives and social forms. —Elizabeth A. Povinelli
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Elizabeth Povinelli, Karrabing Film Collective
- Screenplay & Story
- Karrabing Film Collective
- Original Title
- When the Dogs Talked
- Country of Origin
- Australia
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 30m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Elizabeth Povinelli, Karrabing Film Collective
Karrabing Film Collective
David Barker
Department Leadership Roster
Elizabeth Povinelli
Director
Karrabing Film Collective
Writer
David Barker
Editor
Karrabing Film Collective
Director
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for When the Dogs Talked.
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Frequently Asked Questions About When the Dogs Talked
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is When the Dogs Talked about?
As a group of Indigenous adults argue about whether to save their government housing or their sacred landscape, their children struggle to decide how the ancestral Dreaming makes sense in their contemporary lives. Listening to music on their ipods, walking though bush lands, and boating across seas, they follow their parents on a journey to reenact the travel of the Dog Dreaming. Along the way individuals run out of stamina and boats out of gas, and the children press their parents and each other about why these stories matter and how they make sense in the context of Western understandings of evolution, the soundscapes of hip hop, and the technologies of land development. "When the Dogs Talked" mixes documentary and fiction to produce a thoughtful yet humorous drama about the everyday obstacles of structural and racialized poverty and the dissonance of cultural narratives and social forms. —Elizabeth A. Povinelli
Who directed When the Dogs Talked?
When the Dogs Talked was directed by Elizabeth Povinelli, Karrabing Film Collective.
Who stars in When the Dogs Talked?
The principal cast of When the Dogs Talked includes Not specified.
When was When the Dogs Talked released and how long is it?
When the Dogs Talked was released in 2014 with a total runtime of 30m.