‘Gravel Road’ wins Best Documentary Feature at Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (Variety Australia)

“Gravel Road”, a film which tracks the world’s most remote Indigenous rock band, has taken home the Best Documentary Feature at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival (PJIFF) in California.

The Aussie film was rewarded for its unique insight into Indigenous Australian culture and western rock ‘n’ roll music. It follows Desert Stars, a four-piece band, as they embark on their 2018 debut tour, travelling from their home in remote Tjuntjuntjara across the Western Desert.

“Gravel Road” was a Flywire Films production, directed by Tristan Pemberton and the Tjuntjuntjara community.

Pemberton said it was an honour to receive the award.

“The Desert Stars team have passionately worked on this project for the past three years to share the band’s music, life and culture,” he said. “It’s a powerful film that has been a privilege to make.”

“This is a community film. I really wish someone from [the] community could be here because it’s not just me who made the film. You’ve got a whole community involved in it,” he said in accepting the award.