Join co-director Tiriki Onus (Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung) as he introduces Ablaze, exploring his grandfather Bill Onus' legacy.

Ablaze follows Tiriki Onus' search for information about his grandfather, sparked by the discovery of a 70-year-old silent film believed to have been made by Bill Onus.

The documentary follows Tiriki's journey to uncover the film's origins and tells the broader story of his grandfather's activism and cultural leadership.

Attendees can also join an optional pre-screening guided talk of our exhibition, In real life: inventors, innovators and opportunists, hear from Tiriki during the film introduction, and participate in an audience Q&A before the screening.

This event offers a unique opportunity to explore Bill Onus' legacy through both film and conversation.

Event schedule

• 4:30 pm – Optional guided talk of In real life: inventors, innovators and opportunists
• 5:15 pm – Film introduction by co-director Tiriki Onus (Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung)
• 5:30 pm – Audience Q&A
• 5:45 pm – Film screening (1 hour 21 minutes)

Speaker bio

Tiriki Onus is an academic, artist, performer, opera singer, public speaker, and cultural practitioner with more than 25 years of experience across visual and performing arts, arts education, and Indigenous cultural practice. He is co-director of the Research Unit for Indigenous Arts and Culture and serves as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at the University of Melbourne, leading initiatives to support cultural engagement, Indigenous arts, and advocacy. Tiriki's work combines artistic practice, research, and leadership to promote cultural knowledge and representation within the university and broader community.