Australia Western film High Ground was released back in 2020, but over recent weeks, the movie has become a surprise hit on Paramount, rising to the top of the network’s streaming charts in recent days.

The film is a fictionalised story, but inspired by the true story of the Gan Gan massacre, which occurred in 1911 in northern Australia and saw 30 men, women and children murdered by colonial police officers and settlers.

A synopsis for the film on Paramount reads: “In a remote corner of the wild country, a bloody war rages. Travis is a bounty hunter with one last hope of redemption. Gutjuk is a young Indigenous man trying to save the last of his family. Together they embark on a manhunt, which unravels a secret that ultimately pits them against each other.”

Reaction to the film was positive, with High Ground holding an 89% approval rating on reviews aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. Its consensus reads: “A gripping action story as well as sobering commentary on colonialism, High Ground is a vividly engrossing attempt to grapple with Australian history.”

However, in a three-star review in The Guardian, critic Luke Buckmaster muses: “High Ground never comes close to matching the bittersweet majesty of Sweet Country or the painful polemic of The Nightingale – but it’s well made and directed gracefully, offsetting hard-hitting sequences with handsome production values.”

Simon Baker with a moustache in High Ground© Films/Everett/Shutterstock
Critics praised the film, although some issues were raised

Fans also praised the film, with one saying: “This film was truly exceptional, though I think that to truly appreciate it you need to be, or have lived in Australia. A lot of beautiful shots and sound effects, felt like a documentary sometimes but this added to the film and didn’t ruin the pacing.”

A second added: “An engaging movie which attempts to integrate indigenous Australian culture through POV, music and language. I particularly enjoyed the long shots of the beautiful scenery and the contrast of the two cultures and their interaction with each other and the landscape,” and a third commented: “High Ground is one of those really good films that seemed to have got lost in the Covid pandemic. Released last year to an open air audience in Perth Australia it’s seems to have gone under the radar since. Which is a shame.”

Simon Baker sitting with Callan Mulvey in High Ground© Films/Everett/Shutterstock
High Ground received eight nominations at the AACTA

The film was likewise nominated for eight awards at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA), including for Best Film and Best Actor. Despite the nominations, it only came away with one prize, that being Best Costume Design.

Who stars in High Ground?

The cast was led by Jacob Junior Nayinggul. The actor played Gutjuk, a survivor of the massacre and the film marked his acting debut, he has since featured in The Australian Wars and Fear Below. Joining him in a leading role was The Mentalist star Simon Baker, who played Travis, a police officer turned bounty hunter following his involvement in the massacre.

Jacob Junior Nayinggul in a scene from High Ground© Films/Everett/Shutterstock
The film saw Jacob Junior Nayinggul make his acting debut

Also featured in the cast are Callan Muley (Avengers: Endgame) as Eddy, Jack Thompson (The Great Gatsby) as Moran, Caren Pistorius (Mortal Engines) as Claire, Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon) as Braddock, Aaron Pederson (Jack Irish) as Walter, Sean Mununggurr (Lucky Miles) as Baywara and Yothu Yindi bandmember Witiyana Marika as Grandfather Darrpa.

True events

The Gan Gan massacre took place in 1911 when police officers and colonial settlers launched a “punitive expedition” against a group of the indigenous Yolngu people. Reports say that the group opened fire on the population without warning, killing 30 men, women and children and burning several of their properties.

Simon Baker pointing a gun at Jacob Junior Nayinggul in a scene from High Ground© Films/Everett/Shutterstock
The film didn’t shy away from violent scenes

While the film isn’t a faithful retelling of the event, an article writing in The Conversation highlights how it accurately reflected the times. Its three authors note: “Massacres at the hands of police and settlers were tragically common through northern Australia. The opening scene, depicting a massacre beside a waterhole in 1919, echoes the 1911 Gan Gan Massacre in which mounted police killed more than 30 Yolngu people in a ‘punishment expedition’.”

They conclude: “High Ground, of course, is a highly dramatised piece of art. But, as the filmmakers have said, it’s closer to uncomfortable historical truths than we might expect. By showcasing such stories, the film will hopefully encourage broader reflection on Australia’s violent history, and its enduring legacies.”