We acknowledge Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and give respect to their Elders, past and present.

Read our Statement of Reflection
Skip to main content
National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive

Shifting Sands - Promise: Big woman things

1997

Shifting Sands - Promise: Big woman things

1997

  • NFSA ID9VESVAR9
  • TypeFilm
  • MediumMoving Image
  • FormSeries
  • GenresIndigenous-produced, Indigenous themes or stories, Indigenous as subject
  • Year1997
  • WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following program may contain images and/or audio of deceased persons

A young woman is mixing flour. Voice-over narration by her grandmother Gilladi (Sylvia Clarke) says her granddaughter Ngyamia (Ali Torres) asked her for this story. Flashback; a young Gilladi (Sabrina Sabaan) is given to her aunty (Annie Watson), who did not have children, to prepare her for her promise marriage.

Summary by Romaine Moreton

  • WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following program may contain images and/or audio of deceased persons

A young woman is mixing flour. Voice-over narration by her grandmother Gilladi (Sylvia Clarke) says her granddaughter Ngyamia (Ali Torres) asked her for this story. Flashback; a young Gilladi (Sabrina Sabaan) is given to her aunty (Annie Watson), who did not have children, to prepare her for her promise marriage.

Summary by Romaine Moreton

  • Production company
    Core Films
    Producer
    Pauline Clague
    Supervising producers
    Trevor Graham, Pauline Clague
    Director
    Mitch Torres
    Writer
    Mitch Torres
    Commisioning editor, SBSi
    Bridget Ikin
    Acknowledgements
    Produced with the assistance of the Indigenous Branch of the Australian Film Commission
  • Promise, a short drama from Mitch Torres, is presented as a yarn in the kitchen between a grandmother and her granddaughter. The nanna tells her granddaughter the story of her marriage, a promise marriage that saw her go to live with her aunty to be prepared for marriage. Essentially, a love story that is told in the absence of the love interest – grandfather – but resonates as one of those moments that are a cherished memory.

    Promise Synopsis

    A short drama about a grandmother’s tale of her promise marriage.

    Notes by Romaine Moreton

Industry professional? Go Pro

Need to license this item? A/V professionals and researchers can shortlist licensing enquiries via our NFSA Pro catalogue search and membership.

Get started with PRO

Collections to explore

  • Family tradition

  • Parenting

  • Siblings

  • Start your own collection

    A free Your Stuff account allows you to save, organise and share your favourite videos, audio and stories.

More in Stories+

Personalized your experience

Save, create and share

With NFSA Your Stuff