Yurlu | Country

A vivid ode to Yurlu (homeland) and an intimate portrait of an Aboriginal elder’s final year as he strives to preserve his culture and heal his homeland, scarred by the largest contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere.

Banjima Elder, Maitland Parker, calls his Yurlu “Poison Country” – a haunting, toxic truth etched into his body. Set against the breathtaking yet contaminated landscapes of Western Australia’s Pilbara region, YURLU | COUNTRY lays bare the devastating impact of the Wittenoom asbestos mines, where millions of tonnes of waste laced with deadly asbestos fibres have poisoned both land and people. The movie sheds light on the barely known impacts of last century’s building practices on the places where the material was extracted. But Maitland Parker’s story is also an inspiring example of the resilience of communities that have been fighting for justice for decades.