Four talented Tiwi Island Indigenous girls dream of AFLW stardom, and with the support of their community, face the social and physical obstacles standing in their way. This is an inspirational story of human endurance, ancient resilience and the power of sport to act as a force for change.

Filmed over 6 years, Like My Brother explores the different worlds that the girls must traverse from the remote Tiwi Islands to mainland Australia as they are selected by the Essendon Football Club for their talent and unique style of play. Navigating the competitive world of professional football while dealing with the weight of cultural expectations, distance and financial barriers, the girls encounter triumphs and disappointments before defining success on their own terms to become an inspiration for the next generation of their community.

This coming-of-age documentary shot in the Northern Territory and Victoria is the feature debut of Sal Balharrie and Luritja and Warumungu filmmaker Danielle MacLean, who previously directed an entry in the anthology film We Are Still Here and has written for Mystery Road. Confronting the universal themes of family, ambition and sacrifice through the specific lens of sport, Like My Brother is an inspiring film that will open viewers’ eyes not just to the realities of life in the Tiwi Islands but also to the resilience required to find success as an outsider.

Opening Night, includes a Q&A with Like My Brother director Sal Balharrie and local award winning filmmaker Penny McDonald. Join us for this once off event!

Screening with short film MAKING REVISIONS (2024 | 10m | Matthew Deavin | Australia | All Ages).

This film is the story of making revisions or fixing up whitefella documents, a collaboration between Warlpiri painters of Central Australia and the British artist Patrick Waterhouse.