Storm first wrote the script in 1987. He wanted to tell the story of Aboriginal deaths in custody and chose a thriller format to make the movie as accessible as possible.[3]
The movie was shot on location in Wilcannia over seven weeks. It was the first of five features funded by the Film Finance Corporation's Film Trust Fund.[4]
Plot
From the UK VHS slick for the movie:
Streetwise cop Tony Bourke is sent to a small town to complete a routine report on the death of Jimmie Bryant found hanging whilst in police custody.
His orders are clear - keep the affair away from the media and close the case within 24 hours.
The local police claim that Bryant committed suicide but the investigation exposes a number of inconsistencies in their story.
In the face of growing suspicion and hostility Bourke befriends the victim’s brother - his cellmate on the night of the killing. Together they are determined to see justice prevail … at any cost.[5]
Release
Ozmovies says of the film:
The film was given a brief outing in a few Hoyts cinemas, beginning in Sydney on 13th August 1992 and the same day in Hoyts Melbourne...
The film received mixed to negative reviews in its limited domestic theatrical release.[5]
References
^"Production Survey", Cinema Papers, August 1990 p68
