As the climate emergency rises before them, two Torres Strait Islanders rise up too and sue the Government for climate harm in a landmark court case. This is their testimony.

In 29 years, Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai, their families and communities will be climate refugees. Their homelands Boigu and Saibai in the Torres Strait sit at 1.6m above sea level at the highest point and they face not only the loss of their lands to climate impacts, but their ways of being, culture and identity.

Testimony is a feature-length documentary, that follows a landmark court case led by Uncle Paul and Pabai, but told by their communities, against the Australian Government demanding immediate action on climate change to save their homelands from sinking.

From award winning film-maker Maya Newell, currently in production.

This critically important film of a landmark legal case will have global resonance for all people whose homelands are affected by climate change.

UPDATE from the filmmakers DEC2025:

It’s been a huge year on our Testimony film. In response to the ruling of Justice Wigney in August, Dr Aunty McRose Elu Saibai Elder and EP on the film said;

“Our resolve is unshaken because our fight is fueled by love. Love for our children, our families, our communities, our ancestors, our Country, and our culture. Like Mabo, we will be formidable. And we will hold this government accountable for the choices it makes while our homes and everything we love are left to sink beneath the rising sea.”

This has been demonstrated by their staunch decision to appeal.

Alongside the unfolding court case we have been documenting the development and premiere of the Sara dance, as well as participating in the inaugural Climate Story Lab Australia and Doc Society Climate Story Unit Impact Lab. We have also been honoured to become Diane Weyermann fellows with Maya and Alex attending the opening retreat of the Points North program in Mexico in October. We now turn towards the edit and await the next stages of the court case.