An often astonishing David Gulpilil calls the shots in homegrown drama Charlie’s Country

CHARLIE’S Country: There is no point in trying to spot where the real David Gulpilil ends and the character of Charlie begins in this award-winning performance.

Charlie (David Gulpilil) in a scene from Rolf de Heer's "Charlie's Country". In cinemas July, 2014 An Entertainment One film release For more info ph 02) 8303 3800

THE stark, affecting homegrown drama Charlie’s Country is a passion project for longtime collaborators David Gulpilil and Rolf de Heer.

Not a second is spared for self-indulgence. However, there is an element of self-preservation to the entire production.

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Particularly for the great Gulpilil, one of our nation’s most uniquely gifted actors for more than four decades.

During a troubled personal period that saw Gulpilil end up behind bars, the decorated director de Heer (The Tracker) persuaded his friend to channel his creative energies into a story worthy of filming.

David Gulpilil as Charlie in a scene from Rolf de Heer's <i>Charlie's Country</i>.

Gulpilil’s intense and intriguing response is Charlie’s Country, a partially autobiographical yarn about an indigenous man facing a personal crisis relatively late in life. Charlie (Gulpilil) is getting on a bit, and the rules of life in a small outback town are getting on his nerves.

The bush blackfella in Charlie is calling him back to the land, and Charlie reckons he is ready for a return to the ways he once knew.

Sadly, the roots Charlie is looking to reclaim are much tougher to dig up than first thought. Some of his old skills are still there, but due to fluctuating health, Charlie’s reserves of resilience are dangerously low.

As director, de Heer is careful not to alter the unusual beats and enigmatic shifts in mood that define Gulpilil as a storyteller.

Indeed, there are several stretches where Gulpilil is clearly calling the shots from in front of the camera, simply by inhabiting Charlie with a pure, persuasive vigour.

Charlie (David Gulpilil) with police officer Luke (Luke Ford) in a scene from the film.

Just as a wily sense of humour can suddenly come to the fore, so too can a feeling of wry resignation that Charlie and his country are living in worlds drifting wider apart.

There is no point in trying to find the point where the real Gulpilil ends, and the character of Charlie begins.

The actor keeps shifting it as he pleases, often astonishingly so — a feat that recently landed Gulpilil a prestigious Best Actor win at the Cannes Film Festival.

Charlie’s Country (M)

Director: Rolf de Heer (Ten Canoes)

Starring: David Gulpilil, Luke Ford, Peter Djigirr

Verdict: Three and a half stars. One man, one land, one world apart

Originally published as An often astonishing David Gulpilil calls the shots in homegrown drama Charlie’s Country