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Of the adults cast, Makuma Yunupingu plays Matjala, Botj's uncle, who also serves as the local corrections officer; a scenario that doesn't make for the warmest relationship with his nephew. "We tested many men," recalled Johnson, "but as soon as we saw Makuma we knew he was right. Initially I envisaged Matjala as a slightly older character but Makuma was perfect because his youth gave him a far greater connection to the boys than an older man would have had." As the project had its genesis in north-east Arnhem Land, they had initially hoped to find three Yolngu boys for the roles ('Yolngu' referring to the 16 or so clans that live in and around north-east Arnhem Land) but soon realized they would have to look farther afield. Stephen Johnson, Gordon Glenn and casting director Maggie Miles embarked upon a tour of virtually every community across north-east Arnhem Land from Elcho Island, Ramingining and Gapuwiyak to Bathurst Island, Melville Island as well as all the boarding schools in Darwin. They travelled over 5,000 kilometres by light aircraft, car and foot, even searching with binoculars as they realized that the kids they were seeking would not necessarily be found behind school desks. "We must have tested close to 1,000 boys," recalled Glenn. "Stephen would conduct the interviews, I'd operate the video camera and Maggie would document whom we were seeing." |
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