Rarriwuy Hick leads the ensemble cast of Bunya Productions’ drama True Colours (formerly Copping It Black), now shooting in the Northern Territory’s Macdonnell Ranges for SBS and NITV.
The four-part series stems from an original concept from Arrernte singer-songwriter Warren H. Williams, who also stars, and co-creator, writer and director Erica Glynn.
Hick plays Detective Toni Alma, assigned to investigate a suspicious car accident in Perdar Theendar, the Indigenous community she left as a child and has had little to do with over the years. The beauty of Indigenous art and the sometimes-devious practices in the global art market take the detective on an epic hunt for a killer.
Starring alongside Hick are Luke Arnold, Erroll Shand, Emilie de Ravin, Trisha Morton-Thomas, Ben Oxenbould and Miranda Otto.
The series will also include a range of fresh faces such as Kumalie Riley, Kurt Abbott, Sabella Turner, Natalie Peperill, Warren ‘Wazza’ Williams, Grant Wallace, Janaya Kopp, Martin McMillan, Siobhan Breaden, Genise Williams, Keenan Mitchell, Stella McMillan, Rosario Young and Waylon Dixon.
Directing with Glynn is Steven McGregor, and the pair wrote the scripts with Danielle Maclean. Michaeley O’Brien is the script producer.
Glynn said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to sit beside Warren H Williams, the Amoonguna Community, and the town of Mparntwe (Alice Springs) to mark a screen space for Arrernte people, language, culture and land.”
David Jowsey, Greer Simpkin and Penny Smallacombe, who recently joined Bunya from Screen Australia’s First Nations department, produce.
Murray Lui is the DOP, editor Chris Plummer, production designer Tony Cronin, costume designer Theo Benton and hair and make-up designer is John Logue.
SBS director of content Marshall Heald said True Colours would continue the broadcaster’s tradition of diverse stories with a distinctive voice and purpose, citing The Hunting, The Unusual Suspects and Hungry Ghosts.
“We are thrilled to bring this compelling story of family and the complexities of the Indigenous art world to life and look forward to working with an impressive cast and the talented creative team in Bunya Productions.”
Major production comes from investment from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department in association with SBS and NITV, Screen Territory and Screen NSW.
APC (About Premium Content) is the global partner on the program. True Colours was co-developed with CAAMA (Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association).