The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson

Written by, directed by, and starring Leah Purcell (Goa-Gunggari-Wakka Wakka), this searing revisionist Western reimagines a classic piece of colonial literature. In 1893 on an isolated property, a heavily pregnant woman named Molly Johnson (Leah Purcell) and her children struggle to survive the harsh Australian landscape; her husband is gone, droving sheep in the high country. Molly then finds herself confronted by a shackled Aboriginal fugitive named Yadaka (Rob Collins). As an unlikely bond begins to form between them, secrets unravel about her true identity. Meanwhile, realizing Molly’s husband is missing, new town lawman Nate Clintoff becomes suspicious and sends his constable to investigate. The deadly encounter between Molly, Yadaka and the constable results in a tragic chain of events with Molly becoming a symbol of feminism and anti-racism. (Rotten Tomatoes) Free admission all day as part of Free First Thursday. Come see The Stars We Do Not See, experience the films, and spend a day exploring the art and stories of Indigenous Australia. Event link: https://portlandartmuseum.org/event/the-drovers-wife-the-legend-of-molly-johnson/

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