Rodeo Dreams
Considered one of the most dangerous sports on Earth, bull riding is eight seconds of fast and furious tension – with the chance of a prize – preceded by months of determined graft. It’s a risky sport for youthful dreamers like Peter Jnr, living in remote Doomadgee with his ex-bull rider father; tenacious Camicka, hustling on a feedlot; Mount Isa local favourite Donovan; and talented larrikin Darcy. Filmed over three years, this engrossing documentary captures the grit and determination of the four Queenslanders, with their stories accompanied by a soulful score from Sam Teskey (Teskey Brothers).
Special Guests
Rhian is an experienced writer, producer and director with a passion for observational documentaries. She joined GoodThing in 2020 to create OFF COUNTRY, following Indigenous scholarship students at Geelong Grammar. She now works across the factual slate, recently producing VOLCANO MAN and co-directing GREENHOUSE BY JOOST. Earlier credits include MY MOTHER’S LOST CHILDREN (ABC/BBC) and OUTBACK RABBIS (SBS). Her directing work includes MATILDA AND ME, ROCK N ROLL NERD, and THE KINDNESS OF STRANGERS.
W.A.M. Bleakley is one of Australia’s most sought-after music video and commercials directors. In 2022, he won the ARIA Award for Best Music Video for Vance Joy’s EVERY SIDE OF YOU. In 2025, he directed his debut feature documentary, RODEO DREAMS, for ABC, airing in 2026. His short films have screened at Berlinale, MIFF, MoMA, SXSW and Sydney Film Festival. His debut screenplay LYREBIRD was optioned by MOFA in 2024 and is set to shoot in late 2026.
Tickets
Sydney Film Festival acknowledges Australia’s First Nations People as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land, and pay respect to the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, upon whose Country SFF is based.
We honour the storytelling and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.
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