This film was produced and developed with financial assistance from the Australian Bicentennial Authority, the South Australian Film Corporation, and the South Australian Film and Television Financing Fund.
In November 1988, "Captain Johnno" was the winner of an Emmy Award in the Children and Young People's section at the International Emmy Awards.
This 1988 film is about a deaf boy who befriends an Italian fisherman in his village. Prior to making this movie, in 1984, lead actor John Waters had starred in an Australian season of ''Children of a Lesser God'' - Mark Medoff's play about deafness.
The film's title ''Captain Johnno'' refers to the nickname that the central character played by Damien Walters has for himself.
Debut feature film credit of actress Rebecca Sykes and actor Damien Walters.