An autobiographical journey for filmmaker Lawrence Johnston, who grew up as one of six siblings to his Aboriginal father Colin and non-Indigenous mother, Gloria. Their marriage was a tempestuous one that included physical and emotional abuse. Johnston's unflinching film is a personal and emotional journey that looks at love, marriage, family, and commitment, as he explores the effect his parents' marriage has had on his romantic ideals. His debut feature film Life won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at the 1996 Toronto Film Festival and was nominated for four Australian Film Institute Awards and four Australian Film Critics Circle Awards including Best Actor and Best Screenplay.