Emily: I Am Kam
A revelatory portrait of the trailblazing artist Emily Kam Kngwarray, from the Utopia community in the NT, whose work reshaped the international contemporary art world.
Emily: I Am Kam celebrates the legacy of Australia’s most significant female artist - Emily Kam Kngwarray and explores the power of her work to protect her country, Alhalker. We follow her descendants as they revive awely ceremonies and collaborate on a major retrospective exhibition, helping us gain real understanding of who she was and why she painted, while reaffirming her enduring connection to Country and community. Archival recordings give Kngwarray the opportunity to speak for herself revealing her legacy is so much more than the 3,000 or so paintings she left behind.
Finalist Sydney Film Festival First Nations Award 2025
Producer Anna Grieve * Writer/Director/Producer Danielle MacLean
Emily Kam Kngwarray near Mparntwe:Alice Springs after the first exhibition of Utopia batiks, 1980 ©Toly Sawenko
Emily Kam Kngwarray 1996 ©Mayumi Uchida
Emily Kam Kngwarray painting Delmore Downs Station 1992 ©Steve Strike
The opening of the Emily Kam Kngwarray exhibition NGA December 2023 © Anna Grieve/Tamarind Tree Pictures
10 Bush picnic, Utopia 1977 Pictured Jenifer Green, Pansy Sandover, Lily Kngwarrey Sandover, Andrew Sandover, Emily Kam Kngwarray, Betty Mpetyan, Julie Sandover and Rosemary Petyarr
Painting the awely designs ©Emma Masters/Tamarind Tree Pictures
Women of Utopia dancing the emu awely ©Emma Master/Tamarind Tree Pictures
Jennifer Kngwarray Purvis and Josie Petyarr Kunoth at Alharlernternerrek ©Emma Masters/Tamarind Tree Pictures
Bathing at Urlerrperl waterhole ©Emma Masters/Tamarind Tree Pictures
Emily Kam Kngwarray 1994 © Greg Weight
Anwerlarr (pencil yam root and leaf), Alhalker Country ©Dylan River
Emily Kam Kngwarray seed gathering 1983 Utopia area ©J.Devitt/AIATSIS