Premieres on NITV, SBS and SBS On Demand on Thursday 29 May
Groundbreaking NITV documentary series Our Medicine takes viewers behind the frontline of Australia’s strained medical services and shines a light on First Nations professionals and communities taking back control of Indigenous health
Powerful new documentary series, Our Medicine, takes viewers behind the frontline of Australia’s strained medical services, shining an important light on First Nations professionals working to achieve better health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and communities. The six-part observational series premieres on National Indigenous Television (NITV) and SBS and SBS On Demand from 29 May at 7.30pm.
Narrated by screen icon Leah Purcell AM (The Drover’s Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson, High Country), the groundbreaking series offers unique access to First Nations doctors, nurses, paramedics, traditional healers and other medical professionals, following their day-to-day challenges as they support patients on their journey through the system.
Life expectancy for First Nations peoples in Australia is approximately eight years lower than that of non-Indigenous Australians[1], largely due to a higher incidence of chronic, respiratory, heart and kidney diseases, as well as diabetes. Our Medicine tackles this difficult but critically important subject matter through the eyes of First Nations medical professionals working in some of the busiest hospitals and areas in Australia.
With incredible access to major hospitals and organisations including Royal Flying Doctors Service (RFDS) Queensland, Queensland Ambulance Service, Cairns Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Jalngangurru Healing in Western Australia, NSW Justice Health, Our Medicine offers an extensive look at Australia’s busy health systems across metropolitan, regional and remote areas.
Following the groundbreaking 2021 documentary Our Law, and NITV’s recent two-season series of the same name, which explored the relationship between police and First Nations peoples in remote communities across Australia, Our Medicine continues to championpowerful First Nations frontline storytelling, sharing the stories of the incredible people doing life-changing work in their fields.
The series is directed by Broome-based Kimberley Benjamin (Warm Props) and co-directed by Karla Hart (Yokayi Footy, Family Rules). Our Medicine is produced by Karla Hart Enterprises and Periscope Pictures.
NITV’s Head of Indigenous Commissioning and Production, Dena Curtis, said: “This important series celebrates and showcases the incredible skills of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander frontline health practitioners across the country, who are blazing a trail for young people.
“NITV is incredibly proud to support this imperative documentary series from Karla Hart Enterprises and Periscope Pictures, building on the “Our” brand which highlights Black excellence in emergency professions.”
Directors Karla Hart and Kimberley Benjamin, said: “It was a privilege to see firsthand the incredible impact that First Nations peoples are making to our health across the Country when filming this series. These professionals are doing life-changing work in their fields of expertise, using their knowledge of culture, language and kinship to create better outcomes, safer spaces and to encourage our people not to fear the health system, which is saving lives by closing in on the catastrophic gaps in health and improving life outcomes for First Nations peoples.
“We are well-aware of the health disparities that exist with our mob, however, Our Medicine doesn’tfocus on those statistics but instead speaks contextually from a strength-based lens, through the work of our medical participants. We hope Our Medicine inspires more mob to become health professionals, more engagement in bush and spiritual healing and a greater acknowledgment of the heroes working in these spaces.”
Our Medicine is a Karla Hart Enterprises and Periscope Pictures production for NITV, with principal production funding from Screen Australia’s First Nations Department and NITV, financed with support from Screenwest, Lotterywest and the WA Regional Screen Fund.
Screen Australia First Nations Development and Investment Manager, Jorjia Gillis, said: “This powerful series offers a nuanced perspective from First Nations peoples’ experiences with medical services, as both patients and practitioners, revealing the systemic challenges they face and resilience they embody. By highlighting the importance of having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practitioners working with both modern and traditional forms of healing, I’ve no doubt this documentary will make a big impact.”
Screenwest CEO, Rikki Lea Bestall, said: “Our Medicine provides wonderful, yet confronting insight into the daily challenges faced by First Nations health workers and their dogged commitment to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities.
“Western Australia has an incredible pool of First Nations screen talent and Screenwest is pleased to support their work to tell these vital stories in the hope that it effects change in their communities and for generations to come.
“We look forward to supporting more of these impactful First Nations screen projects in the future.”
Our Medicine premieres Thursday 29 May at 7.30pm on NITV and SBS, with weekly double episodes.
Our Medicine is also available to stream free on SBS On Demand, with subtitles in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese, and with audio description for blind or low vision audiences.
