The film centres around 9-year-old Ngemba girl Gemma "Gem" Daniels (played by 11-year-old Rhae-Kye Waites) who lives in the remote New South Wales town of Brewarrina.

As the family grieve following Darlene's death, Gemma finds comfort by spending time and bonding with a wild emu, her mother's Totem animal.

[3] Despite having great potential at being a junior athletics champion as a talented runner, Gemma begins to wag school to spend time with the emu, stealing food for the emu to eat, which brings her to the attention of local police officer Stan (Carlton) and social worker Heidi (Blizzard) who make their own assumptions about Jay Jay's ability to look after his family.

[11] He described the film as a "simple but evocative yarn beautifully told by Thomas and her cast" and praised the cinematography by Michael Gibbs which Stratton said proved to be a "major asset".

[3] She said despite there being few surprises and "a slightly heavy-handed predictability in the way the denouement plays out", the viewer gains "a clear insight into the way racial prejudice can precipitate a rush to judgement by even the seemingly enlightened".

[3] In her review for Seventh Row, Gillie Collins described the film as "an uplifting tale of communal solidarity in the face of personal, yet politically charged, hardship".

[15] Black also wrote that the film's biggest fault was that "it takes more than it gives back" and suggested that it may have fared better if it had been directed by an Indigenous Australian filmmaker.