The documentary about legendary musician Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, otherwise known for his stage name Dr G Yunupingu, is now the seventh highest-grossing Aussie documentary of all time.
[jwplayer hAS3Rulj]
Gurrumul, which has Yunupingu’s own narration, was created to tell the story of the Indigenous musician’s life journey. Prior to its cinema release in April this year, the documentary featured at the Melbourne International Film Festival and Adelaide Film Festival in 2017.
In 2018, it also made its debut at the Berlin Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival. It is now set for release on DVD come August 30.
Per The Music Network, Gurrumul has achieved $970,000 at the box office since its release 17 weeks ago and is still showing in select cinemas.
#Gurrumul becomes seventh highest-grossing Australian documentary of all time https://t.co/uCbgv5zhOD @theindustry_o #FVsupported pic.twitter.com/o9nXG0aZi0
— VicScreen (@wearevicscreen) August 22, 2018
Documentary director Paul Williams also tweeted the news thanking “everyone for supporting #Gurrumul in its wonderful Australian cinema run.”
In April of this year, Yunupingu’s fourth and final album Djarimirri (Child of The Rainbow) conquered the ARIA Album Charts making it the very first to do so in an Indigenous language.
The album debuted at number one after being released nine months after the artist died in July 2017 following a long battle with illness. He was 46-years-old.
In August, Yunupingu’s family accepted three awards for Djarimirri at the National Indigenous Music Awards. The awards were for the Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Song of the Year – the latter taking the win for the title track.
Upon accepting the award, Yunupingu’s aunt Dorothy Gurruwiwi shared just how significant her nephew’s music is.
“My nephew have gone and he spread his stories throughout his songs, he went far away across the sea and he has told the world that Indigenous peoples here today, we still have our culture and our language.
“This is his home, and this is where he belongs to.”
Djarimirri on vinyl is available now.
