Araluen Arts Centre: 
MASIFF | Crown and Country
Warlpiri teacher Wanta Jampijinpa Pawu-Kurlpurlurnu and composer Marc “Monkey” Peckham join Wanta’s father Jerry Jangala Patrick OAM in an immersive fusion of film, music, and ceremonial song.
Step into a world of vast desert landscapes and ceremonial knowledge in this groundbreaking First Nations film.
Through striking visuals, ceremonial song, and an immersive soundtrack, audiences are invited into a live cinema experience where ancestral voices and contemporary music converge.
The voice of Wanta Jampijinpa Pawu-Kurlpurlurnu — renowned Warlpiri teacher from the desert community of Lajamanu in the north Tanami — leads the work while his father, First Contact elder Jerry Jangala Patrick OAM - one of the most significant Warlpiri songmen alive today - anchors it in Jukurrpa (Dreaming) songs from traditional ceremony.
The soundtrack emerges from Wanta’s real-life conversations with long-time collaborator, producer Monkey Marc. Their 15-year friendship underpins the film, weaving spoken word with the newly released Crown and Country album — hailed across Australia as “transcendental, reflective and deeply enveloping.” The result is an immersive encounter where story and sound converge, blurring the lines between cinema and sonic ritual.
Filmed on Country by James Gillot, the work unfolds at a pivotal time for desert communities: as the last elders who experienced first contact with colonial Australia reflect on their past, younger generations seek meaning in a shared, contested land.
At its heart, this is a film about legacy. For Wanta, it is an invitation to imagine what Australia could become if we truly listened — not to offer answers, but to open a space for possibility. For Jerry, still active in ranger programs and community life, it offers rare insight into Warlpiri philosophy: a way of knowing grounded in Country, care and connection.
Stay after the screening for a Q&A with co-directors Wanta Jampijinpa, Monkey Marc and cast Keshawn Jampijinpa Patrick.
Doors Open: 4:30 pm | Screening Starts: 5:00 pm
Director: Wanta Jampijinpa Pawu-Kurlpurlurnu, Marc “Monkey” Peckham | Year: 2025 | Rating: G | Runtime: 45 mins | Country: Australia | Genre: Documentary | Language: Warlpiri, English
Gallery
MPARNTWE ALICE SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
From 9 to 19 October 2025, MASIFF will take over the Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs Desert Park and Alice Springs Cinema, delivering an unforgettable program of local, national and international cinema right here in the Red Centre.
We believe in the power of film to do more than entertain - it can inspire connection, challenge boundaries, and spark important conversations. MASIFF fosters intercultural understanding by bringing diverse communities together through shared stories and lived experiences.
At the same time, the festival shines a spotlight on regional storytelling, celebrating the creativity of Central Australian filmmakers and amplifying remote voices that deserve to be heard. By pairing local talent with films from across the globe, MASIFF creates a unique cultural exchange that honours the Red Centre and connects it to the wider world.
Produced by Red Hot Arts with the generous support of the Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF) and the Darwin Film Society.
For more infomation visit Mpartnwe Alice Springs International Film
Dates
Times
Doors Open: 4:30 pm
Screening Starts: 5:00 pm
Duration
45 minutes
Interval
None
Prices
Standard $20
Concession $15
Our concession price is for anyone who may face financial barriers to attending the arts — including concession card holders, young people, and those in insecure or low-paid work.
BLAKTIX $10
BLAKTIX are equity tickets available to all First Nations peoples. They are offered to support access and opportunity, in recognition that this event takes place on unceded Arrernte Country.
Disability Complimentary Companion Card - FREE
Companion Card holders are warmly welcomed — just bring your card along on arrival.
Festival Pass $160
For all films. That’s less than $12 each, saving you over $100 (40% off).
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