Emu Runner

2018

95 mins

Directed by Imogen Thomas
89%
11+
Drama
Kids & Family

Debut film from Australian writer/director Imogen Thomas. Nine-year-old Gem (newcomer Rhae-Kye Waites) forms a bond with a wild emu in... More

Debut film from Australian writer/director Imogen Thomas. Nine-year-old Gem (newcomer Rhae-Kye Waites) forms a bond with a wild emu in the remote town of Brewarrina NSW, as she tries to cope with her beleaguered father, a naïve social worker, and her own painful grief in the aftermath of her mother's sudden death.

"In nature, the male emu takes on the role of rearing the chicks. The human parallel to this emu trait is explored in this delicately beautiful feature debut... At the moment of her greatest need for comfort, Gem encounters and forges a bond with a wild emu, the totem bird of her ancestors. While her connection with the bird gives her solace, it also leads to behaviours that bring Gem to the attention of Heidi (Georgia Blizzard), a new social worker in town." (Toronto International Film Festival)

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Emu Runner | Ratings & Reviews

89_%9 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes® rating
11+Age suitability
Children & Media rating

"Straight from its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas brings you the early word on a powerful and poetic Australian drama. "

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Flicks

"The amateur quality of the cast can definitely be felt when Blair is not around (with the film being the first time many of the cast including Rhae-Kye Waites have been in front of a camera), but it allows the film to feel more authentic and grounded."

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FilmInk

"Emu Runner was clearly a labour of love for everyone who worked on it. It's a small film but one that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages."

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The Australian

"Thomas has made a deep, rich meditation on family, community, country and racial tensions that strides well beyond its girl-meets-bird logline. Flightless the Dromaius novaehollandiae may be, but "Emu Runner" soars."

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Variety

"There are few surprises here... But by the time it's done, you've gained a clear insight into the way racial prejudice can precipitate a rush to judgment by even the seemingly enlightened."

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