Deborah Mailman reflects on Indigenous stories, grief and resilience in Wolfram

Deborah Mailman sat on Arrernte Country in Central Australia while filming Wolfram, Warwick Thornton’s frontier western set in the 1930s. She plays Pansy, an Indigenous mother whose children are stolen by a miner to work in dangerous wolfram mines. Drawing on her own experience as a mother, Mailman says embodying Pansy’s grief required no acting. Wolfram is a continuation of Thornton’s Sweet Country, focusing on Aboriginal experiences and resilience, highlighting both male and female perspectives. Mailman, who grew up in Mount Isa and has Māori and Aboriginal heritage, draws inspiration from her late parents’ strength and storytelling. She praises Thornton as a remarkable director and cinematographer, calling him a genius. Beyond the film, Mailman reflects on the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous Australians, from high incarceration rates to the failed voice referendum. She laments the cruelty and racism displayed in public discourse but sees storytelling and engagement with audiences as a way to foster empathy and awareness. Wolfram opens in Australian cinemas on 30 April, presenting a narrative of hope, strength, and survival amid historical trauma.