Warwick Thornton's 'Wolfram' Continues Bleak Look at Colonial Australia

The director's follow-up to 'Sweet Country' depicts the exploitation of indigenous miners for tungsten ore.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Nine years after his acclaimed film 'Sweet Country,' director Warwick Thornton returns with 'Wolfram,' another slow-burn drama set in 1930s colonial Australia. The film follows two white outsiders who force a charismatic 'half-breed' man and two Aboriginal child miners to work the tungsten ore, known as wolfram, from the land. Thornton's cinematic universe is based on actual history, where indigenous people could be 'claimed' by whites through violence and then exploited for their labor.

Why it matters

Thornton's films offer a powerful and unflinching look at the brutal realities of Australia's colonial past, highlighting the systemic oppression and exploitation of indigenous peoples. 'Wolfram' continues this important narrative, drawing attention to a lesser-known chapter of history that resonates with ongoing issues of land rights, resource extraction, and racial injustice.

The details

In 'Wolfram,' two heartless 'whitefella' outsiders ride into the fictional town of Henry, forcing a charismatic 'half-breed' man and two resourceful Aboriginal child miners to work the plentiful tungsten ore, also known as wolfram, from the land. Thornton, who also serves as the film's cinematographer, directs from a script co-written by Steven McGregor and David Tranter, the latter of whom draws from his Alyawarre tribal roots and Chinese-Australian heritage.

The film is set in the early 1930s in colonial Australia.

The players