Grass: A Nation's Battle for Life (1925) is a pioneering ethnographic film by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack (creators of King Kong) and Marguerite Harrison. It chronicles the epic migration of the Bakhtiari people of Iran; families crossing snowbound mountains and wild rivers with tens of thousands of animals. Nearly a century later, the images remain astonishing: human endurance rendered in stark black and white.
Witness Grass become an alive artifact of history; an urgent, breathing encounter where cinema and sound converge. Gelareh's haunting kamancheh and voice summon the landscapes of Iran, threading heritage into the film's heart, while Brian's elemental rhythms carve tension and search for release. The result transcends nostalgia, it is a transformation: Grass reborn as a living conversation between past and present - a reflection on movement, displacement and the fragile relationship between people and land.
Presented by Castlemaine Documentary Festival (CDoc) and supported by RMIT University, after a sell-out show for the Castlemaine State Festival, this event reflects CDoc's long-standing commitment to documentary cinema as a collective, cultural experience where film, sound and audience come together in the same room.
Proudly supported by RMIT University.
After captivating audiences worldwide with Peter Pan, Ballet of Lights presents Cinderella! This classic fairy tale is reimagined in a ballet show where dancers shine in glow-in-the-dark costumes. Get your tickets for Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show in Melbourne!
Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty has arrived in Melbourne! This beloved tale is brought to life through classical dance, stunning choreography, and beautiful glow-in-the-dark costumes.
Best of the Edinburgh Fest is one of Melbourne’s favourite and original lineup shows, and it’s back in 2026! Three international acts for the price of one!
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
Learn more about our commitment to Indigenous cultures
