June 2 - June 4, 2026 Warwick Thornton: A Bleak Week Retrospective Series | SAMSON AND DELILAH, THE NEW BOY, SWEET COUNTRY
ABOUT THE SERIES: The American Cinematheque is proud to present the first North American retrospective of the remarkably resilient cinema of acclaimed Kaytetye filmmaker Warwick Thornton as part of this year’s edition of Bleak Week. Evoking visceral visions of contemporary Australian society, the harrowing legacies of colonialism and its dire impact on Aboriginal communities, Thornton’s work paints a raw portrait of Indigenous life at an unparalleled level. Our retrospective includes the luminary’s Caméra d’Or-winning film, SAMSON AND DELILAH, which captures the complexities of life as marginalized Aboriginal youth, illuminating experiences rarely depicted on film. Thornton’s debut feature competed in the Un Certain Regard category at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, garnering awards and universal acclaim as an emergent visionary in world cinema. Set in the arid outback of 1920s Central Australia, Thornton’s neo-western SWEET COUNTRY conjures the brutal realities of a segregated postcolonial nation, indicting the discriminatory legal structures and spectres of colonialism lingering within the country. The film premiered at Venice International Film Festival, where it took home the Special Jury Prize. Our series continues with THE NEW BOY, produced by and starring Cate Blanchett, a tale of a young Aboriginal boy who is forced to confront internal spiritual and cultural tensions when he is brought into a Christian monastery. Thank you to our airline sponsor, Delta Air Lines.