Djali, a young Aboriginal man, sets off on a journey of initiation to understand what it means to be a man in a modern day world. He sees the problems being faced by Aboriginal men in remote and urban communities. As he struggles to find his place, he becomes awakened to a spiritual force within, guiding him on his journey into manhood.

A product of the Hive Lab, an initiative of the Adelaide Film Festival, Spear features the talents of some of Bangarra's most brilliant dancers, composer David Page, who created the compelling score and soundscape, and cinematographer Bonnie Elliott, who brings every ounce of her remarkable visual aesthetic to the crisp, simply stunning photography. But the film's surfeit of beauty does not prevent it from portraying some of the harsher realities of contemporary Aboriginal life. This alchemical combination of imaginative, technical, and social energies results in one of the most affecting and spiritually resonant films of the year.