About this Event
Lords of the Soil, a poignant and visually rich new historical drama, will hold a special screening at the Transgrid Discovery Hub in Wagga Wagga on Saturday 18 April 2026.
Produced by Kensington House Entertainment in association with Miil Miil Productions, the 60-minute feature is set in the Riverina in the autumn of 1866 and explores the delicate and complex relationships between early European settlers and the Wiradjuri people, offering a moving portrayal of a shared—yet rarely seen—Australian history.
The film stars Jake Speer (Home & Away) as Basil Bennett, a city doctor searching for new beginnings on the frontier. Alongside him are Zach Blampied (New Gold Mountain) as Maliyan, a powerful Wiradjuri man; Leonie Whyman (Deadloch) as Girra; Brandon McClelland (Totally Completely Fine) as George; and screen icon Bruce Spence (Mad Max 2, The Lord of the Rings) as the wealthy pastoralist John. The film also features Riverina actors Bernie Maxwell, Lionel Simpson and Nyeeka Simpson.
Filmed on location in Darlington Point and Griffith, Lords of the Soil is directed by Chris Butel and produced by Chris Butel, Bernard Higgins, Elijah Ingram, Oumi Karenga-Hewitt and Jake Speer. The film features a haunting and emotionally resonant original score composed by Adam Alexander and Ben Lambert, with post-production completed in Sydney.
The film was financed with support from Western Riverina Arts, The Aboriginal Languages Trust and Transgrid, along with a wide range of community partners and businesses including GRAPA, Riverina Water and Kelly & Partners Business Accountants, as well as support from both Griffith City Council and Wagga Wagga City Council.
Lords of the Soil has been a deeply collaborative effort from across the Riverina and beyond, with more than 200 actors, crew members and volunteers contributing to the production. Importantly, the film’s Wiradjuri language elements were developed in partnership with Leeton-based Miil Miil Productions and language experts Letetia Harris and Uncle “Midnight” Brydon, ensuring cultural integrity and meaningful preservation of language.
“Lords of the Soil is bringing together the very best the Riverina has to offer — its history, its landscape and its people — to share a story with audiences around the world,” says Speer.“At the heart of this film is kindness, and the hope that humankind is still capable of such a thing. That we are both passengers and drivers of history.”
This special screening forms part of the film’s regional theatrical tour across New South Wales, celebrating regional filmmaking and cultural storytelling at its most powerful.
Following the screening, audiences will have the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A with members of the filmmaking team, discussing the story behind the film and its production across the Riverina.
Tickets are available to the general public. Seating is extremely limited.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Transgrid Discovery Hub, 27 Kincaid Street, Wagga Wagga, Australia
AUD 36.08
