Independently Owned, Locally Grown, Community Loved
A documentary celebrating the cultural significance of the native black dingo in the Murray Upper region is set to reach an international audience after being selected for the 2026 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.
Ganibarra, directed and produced by Sonya Grant alongside Alix Livingstone and their production team, was chosen from thousands of entries and will screen at Cinema Nova in Melbourne on 11th July during NAIDOC Week celebrations.
The documentary explores the deep cultural connection between First Nations people and the native black dingo, known as Ganibarra in the Jirrbal language. For Ms Grant, whose family has longstanding ties to the Murray Upper area, the film is a deeply personal story about culture, identity and Country.
"Ganibarra is more than a film about dingoes. It is a story about culture, family, identity and the enduring connection between First Nations people and Country," she said.
Ms Grant works with the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation in Cardwell as the National First Nations Dingo Coordinator and hopes the documentary will raise awareness of the dingo's cultural significance while supporting efforts to protect the species.
Following its Melbourne screening, the film will also be shown in Brisbane before returning home for community screenings in Tully.
Ms Grant said she was honoured to have the documentary selected by one of Australia's leading documentary festivals.
"To have Ganibarra selected is an incredible honour," she said.
She also thanked her family for sharing their stories and the supporters who helped fund the project through the Traditional Knowledge Recording Project.
"This film would not exist without you," she said.
The selection marks a major achievement for the locally produced documentary and shines a spotlight on the Cassowary Coast's rich First Nations culture and storytelling.
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