iview: Black As

iview today premieres Black As, a documentary series following three Yolngu young men in Arnhem Land.

The series is by filmmaker David Batty, who is profiled tonight on Australian Story.

Five x 5min episodes are available on iview with five new episodes released each week over the following four weeks.

Off beat, off track and now on iview…go bush with the Black As boys as they venture into the wilds of Arnhem Land, hunting for adventure and a good feed. Made by the team behind the iconic 2001 series Bush Mechanics, Black As is bush maniac action at its best, developed by the ABC in partnership with Screen Australia.

Over the 25 x 5 minute series, three young Yolngu men, Jerome, Chico and Dino and their adopted brother Joe, go on a series of bush trips to hunt, forage and fish, all the while honouring the land and their ancestral law.

With their hunting tracks blocked by fallen trees after cyclone Lam, the Black As boys borrow an uncle’s dinghy to bring home a bounty of fish, croc and turtle. But the Arnhem Land hunters are challenged at every turn by tides, engine breakdowns, thirst and ever-present crocs – all the while worried about getting the dinghy and trailer back to its owner. With their bush skills, muscle and ingenuity put to the test, they finally make it back home to a less than warm reception.

The heave-ho heroics are accompanied by plenty of good-natured banter, glimpses of heartfelt reflection and a touch of magic – all familiar themes in the work of director David Batty.

The four young stars of Black As grew up with Bush Mechanics so it was natural for them to want to tell their own story by documenting their gung-ho hunting and bush tucker exploits. The result is Black As.

Production Credits: A Rebel Films Production financed by Screen Australia in association with Screen Territory. Director, Writer and Produder David Batty. Executive Producer David Noakes. ABC Executive Producer Sally Riley.