Sixteen year old Joel Tait (Aaron McGrath) has just won an Indigenous scholarship to Clifton College – one of Sydney’s most elite private schools. It’s his first day and at assembly Joel’s teacher notices he’s not singing the national anthem. At home that night Joel is busy learning the words so he can join in. His father Eddie is troubled by this – he doesn’t want his son to sing the anthem … or stand for it.
Joel is torn between the traditions of the school and his father’s principles. He doesn’t want to let his father down but Joel is starting to invest in the school. Mr Parish (Ewen Leslie), the poetry teacher, has inspired him in a lesson about The Windhover and he’s doing well. And the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen is in his class.
When Joel continues to follow his father’s wishes the situation escalates until Joel is threatened with expulsion. His mother Nic (Ursula Yovich) is desperate to find a solution and can’t believe Eddie (Marley Sharp) is risking their son’s future. But Eddie won’t budge and Joel has started to believe his father is right.
Much to his mother’s despair Joel is expelled and the scholarship is awarded to another boy. But the next day one by one the remaining Aboriginal pupils refuse to stand and sing the Anthem.
At the Tait’s house, there’s a knock on the door. It’s the Principal and she’s there to offer Joel his place back, but on his terms.
Rachel Perkins
Director – 
An independent director and producer, Rachel Perkin’s Australian Aboriginal heritage (Arrernte/Kalkadoon nations) has informed her filmmaking in documentary and drama over her twenty year career. She has been an executive producer at SBS and ABC TV and has directed three dramatic features: Radiance, One Night the Moon and Bran Nue Dae. Her most recent feature Bran Nue Dae (2010), which she both directed and co- wrote, screened at Sundance, Berlin and Toronto Film Festivals and achieved a box office of $7.5m in Australia. Rachel’s films have screened at over 75 film festivals around the world.
Most recently Rachel directed the critically acclaimed film Mabo
starring Deborah Mailman and Jimi Bani. Marking the 20th Anniversary of the historic High Court decision, Mabo had a special Gala Premiere at the 2012
Sydney Film Festival before screening on ABC TV.
Her most recent documentary work, the seven-hour series First Australians (2009), which she wrote, directed and co-produced, was awarded Australia’s top documentary honours including the AFI and IF Awards, UN Media Peace Prize, TV Week Logie, Screen Writers and Directors Guild of Australia Awards. First Australians has sold throughout the world and is the highest selling educational title in Australia.
Rachel’s other documentary productions include the series Blood Brothers on which she was one of the writers, directors and producers as well as Spirit to Spirit – an international co- venture of indigenous partners from New Zealand, Scandinavia, Canada and Australia.
Most recently, Rachel was honoured to receive the inaugural Contribution to Television IF Award at the 2011 Jameson IF Awards.
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