Heartland (Australian TV series)
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television drama |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Drama television series |
Heartland', internationally recognized as Burned Bridge, is an Australian drama television series that premiered on the ABC in 1994. This 13-episode production featured Cate Blanchett and Ernie Dingo in leading roles, with a prominent ensemble of Aboriginal Australian performers.
Plot
Heartland delves into the enigma surrounding the death of an Aboriginal teenage girl and the disputed culpability of her boyfriend, who faces arrest for the crime. At the heart of the storyline is a romantic bond between two individuals convinced of his innocence, set against a backdrop of racial discord and cultural divisions within both Aboriginal and white communities.
The series is situated in a small coastal town where inhabitants grapple with rebuilding their lives amid ongoing tensions, striving to regain dignity and create a hopeful future despite societal challenges.
The plot also centers on Elizabeth Ashton, a writer newly arrived in the area who, initially unaware of local racial issues, forms a friendship with Vincent Burunga, an Aboriginal man. Their association provokes suspicion from Phil McCarthy, a local police officer whose antagonism is fueled by both jealousy and racial bias.
Cast
- Ernie Dingo as Vincent Burunga
- Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth Ashton
- Justine Saunders as Millie Carmichael
- Bob Maza as Alf Dyer
- Steven Vidler as Phil McCarthy
- Shane Connor as Ben Lovell
- David Ngoombujarra as Mujadi Burunga
- Jeremy Sims as Garth Maddern
- Paul Caesar as Macka Hargraves
- Bradley Byquar as Ricky Dyer
- Wes Patten as Chris Dyer
- Rachael Maza as Leila Sutton
- David Kennedy as Robert Sutton
- Aaron Pedersen as Clarrie Carmichael
- Lillian Crombie as Mary Dyer
- Zoe Carides as Shelley
- Luke Carroll as Jason Sutton
- Trevor Jamieson as Nobby
- Rhoda Roberts as Dionne
- Darren Yap as Dr Nguyen
- David Wenham as Warwick Bone
- Melissa Jaffer as Meredith Lovell
- Harold Hopkins as Jim
- Richard Carter as Merv
- Danielle Carter as Receptionist
- Genevieve Lemon as Fiona Lovell
Production
This series broke new ground by being the first major television project scripted by Aboriginal Australian writers and featuring numerous Aboriginal actors. It also served as an early platform for emerging talents such as Cate Blanchett, Rachael Maza, and Lillian Crombie, who went on to establish notable careers after their initial performances.
Accolades
In 1994, Heartland was honored with the TV Drama Award from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, presented to executive producers Penny Chapman and Bruce West. Julian Pringle received recognition for Best Achievement in Direction in Television Drama for episode seven, which also secured Best Episode at the 1994 AFI Awards.
The series earned a nomination for Most Popular Drama at the 1995 Logie Awards. Furthermore, its musical score was shortlisted for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995.
See also
External links
- Heartland hosted by the National Film and Sound Archive