Tom E. Lewis
Encyclopedia
Tom E. Lewis is a Murrungun man (an Indigenous Australian tribe), who is an actor and musician. His first major role was the title role in the 1978 Fred Schepisi film The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
.
) in South Eastern Arnhem Land
. Lewis worked as a bricklayer and stockman before moving into theatre.
theatre scene, having worked with Playbox, Melbourne Theatre Company
, Melbourne Workers Theatre
, Arena
and Handspan Theatre
s. With Handspan, he devised the internationally successful Lift Em Up Socks, a semi-autobiographical multi-media work. He is currently playing Othello
in the Darwin Theatre Company's production of Shakespeare's classic.
, flute, clarinet and guitar. Past musical projects include the band Circle of Breathing. In the 1990s he toured in acclaimed jazz duo, Lewis & Young through Europe, Asia and Australia. He has played with Jane Rutter, Eve Duncan, Uli Klein and composer George Dreyfus.
In 2000 he was chosen to run with the Olympic torch in Melbourne.
, after being discovered by Schepisi's wife at an airport. Lewis recently co-wrote a short documentary film, Yellow Fella, about his experience of coming from a mixed race heritage, for which he was awarded the 2005 Bob Maza Fellowship by the Australian Film Commission
. Directed by Ivan Sen
, it was selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival
this year, the first Australian Indigenous documentary ever chosen for Official Selection.
Lewis considers his artistic creations to be "medicine and good stories for people - like a Corroboree ground but in the modern world".
He has also worked on Dust Echoes, an Indigenous animated website of Dreamtime stories produced by the ABC
. Dust Echoes is important he says, "to preserve our culture by using the whitefella technology to embrace our stories. You see the 'propaganda' is bigger than our stories in the dust and so we now are raising those stories from the dust and share it, so people can more understand our culture and bring them to our fireplace." He played one of the leading roles in the psychological thriller Red Hill
.
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is a 1972 Booker Prize-nominated novel by Thomas Keneally, and a 1978 Australian film of the same name directed by Fred Schepisi. The novel is based on the life of bushranger Jimmy Governor....
.
Early life
He was born and grew up at Ngukurr (Roper RiverRoper River
The Roper River is one of the largest rivers in the Northern Territory, Australia, extending east for over 500 km to meet the sea in Limmen Bight on the Gulf of Carpentaria. It is navigable for about 145 km, until the tidal limit at Roper Bar, and forms the southern boundary of the region...
) in South Eastern Arnhem Land
Arnhem Land
The Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500 km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National...
. Lewis worked as a bricklayer and stockman before moving into theatre.
Theatre career
He spent many years working in the MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
theatre scene, having worked with Playbox, Melbourne Theatre Company
Melbourne Theatre Company
The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne. Founded in 1953, it is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia, and has its own theatre, The MTC Theatre – which houses the 500-seat Sumner Theatre and the 150-seat Lawler Studio – located in Melbourne's Arts...
, Melbourne Workers Theatre
Melbourne Workers Theatre
Melbourne Workers Theatre is an Australian theatre company from Melbourne, Australia. The company was founded in 1987 by Patricia Cornelius, Steve Payne and Michael White...
, Arena
Arena Theatre
Arena Theatre is one of the oldest theatres in Bratislava.It was established in 1828 on the right bank of Danube. In the beginning it served asan open summer amphitheatre, hence the name Arena. The current building was built in1898....
and Handspan Theatre
Handspan Theatre
Handspan Theatre, Visual Theatre, Melbourne puppet company, Arts collectiveHandspan Theatre 1977 - 2002 was a Melbourne puppetry collective founded by Ken Evans, Andrew Hansen, Helen Rickards, Maeve Vella, Peter J...
s. With Handspan, he devised the internationally successful Lift Em Up Socks, a semi-autobiographical multi-media work. He is currently playing Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
in the Darwin Theatre Company's production of Shakespeare's classic.
Music career
Lewis is also a musician and plays didgeriduDidgeridoo
The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"...
, flute, clarinet and guitar. Past musical projects include the band Circle of Breathing. In the 1990s he toured in acclaimed jazz duo, Lewis & Young through Europe, Asia and Australia. He has played with Jane Rutter, Eve Duncan, Uli Klein and composer George Dreyfus.
In 2000 he was chosen to run with the Olympic torch in Melbourne.
Movie career
He played the title role in the 1978 Fred Schepisi film The Chant of Jimmie BlacksmithThe Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith
The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is a 1972 Booker Prize-nominated novel by Thomas Keneally, and a 1978 Australian film of the same name directed by Fred Schepisi. The novel is based on the life of bushranger Jimmy Governor....
, after being discovered by Schepisi's wife at an airport. Lewis recently co-wrote a short documentary film, Yellow Fella, about his experience of coming from a mixed race heritage, for which he was awarded the 2005 Bob Maza Fellowship by the Australian Film Commission
Australian Film Commission
The Australian Film Commission was an Australian government agency with a mandate to promote the creation and distribution of films in Australia as well as to preserve the country's film history. It also had a production arm responsible for production and commissioning of films for government...
. Directed by Ivan Sen
Ivan Sen
Ivan Sen is an Australian filmmaker. Throughout the late 1990s Sen worked on numerous short films, before making his feature film debut with Beneath Clouds in 2002. He studied filmmaking at the Australian Film Television and Radio School, where he produced his first short films, working with the...
, it was selected to screen at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
this year, the first Australian Indigenous documentary ever chosen for Official Selection.
Lewis considers his artistic creations to be "medicine and good stories for people - like a Corroboree ground but in the modern world".
He has also worked on Dust Echoes, an Indigenous animated website of Dreamtime stories produced by the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
. Dust Echoes is important he says, "to preserve our culture by using the whitefella technology to embrace our stories. You see the 'propaganda' is bigger than our stories in the dust and so we now are raising those stories from the dust and share it, so people can more understand our culture and bring them to our fireplace." He played one of the leading roles in the psychological thriller Red Hill
Red Hill (film)
Red Hill is a 2010 Australian thriller film written and directed by Patrick Hughes. The film stars Ryan Kwanten, Steve Bisley and Tom E. Lewis.-Plot:...
.
Personal life
Lewis has been back in Beswick in South Arnhem Land since 2001 where he has initiated a cultural foundation, the Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation, which hosts the “Walking with the Spirits” festival each year.Films
- The Chant of Jimmie BlacksmithThe Chant of Jimmie BlacksmithThe Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith is a 1972 Booker Prize-nominated novel by Thomas Keneally, and a 1978 Australian film of the same name directed by Fred Schepisi. The novel is based on the life of bushranger Jimmy Governor....
- We of the Never NeverWe of the Never NeverWe of the Never Never is an autobiographical novel by Jeannie Gunn. Although published as a novel, it is an account of the author's experiences in 1902 at Elsey Station near Mataranka, Northern Territory in which she changed the names of people to obscure their identities. She published this book...
- A Town Like AliceA Town Like AliceA Town Like Alice is a novel by the British author Nevil Shute about a young Englishwoman in Malaya during World War II and in outback Australia post-war....
- Robbery Under ArmsRobbery Under Arms (1985 film)Robbery Under Arms Acclaimed actor Sam Neill stars as the suave and enigmatic bushranger Captain Starlight in this lavish action adventure tale set in the rugged Australian outback...
- The PropositionThe PropositionThe Proposition is a 2005 western film directed by John Hillcoat and written by screenwriter and musician Nick Cave. It stars Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, John Hurt, Danny Huston and David Wenham. The film's production completed in 2004 and was followed by a wide 2005 release in...
- Yellow Fella
- Red HillRed Hill (film)Red Hill is a 2010 Australian thriller film written and directed by Patrick Hughes. The film stars Ryan Kwanten, Steve Bisley and Tom E. Lewis.-Plot:...