PVC- Indigenous Strategy UNSWIS_Final_SIGN OFF_18 October 2018 low res for | Page 29

placed into state care by the Australian
government. Allegedly employed as
servants, these girls, now older women,
possessed no autonomy over their own
lives as they were prisoners in their roles
of domestic servitude. All too often that
centred around a cycle of abuse, rape
and enslavement, with consequences
that echo powerfully to this day. This
compelling documentary is a testimony
to a concealed and underacknowledged
part of Australian history.
The Tracker (2002), Ten Canoes (2006)
and Charlie’s Country (2013)
Dutch-Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer
has directed a stunning triptych of films in
tandem with Aboriginal screen icon David
Gulpilil and it rightly deserves inclusion
here. Each of the films investigates a
very different facet of Indigenous culture
and de Heer has said of this unofficial
trilogy that he sees himself as the conduit
through which Gulpilil’s stories are told.
Mabo (1997)
An award-winning documentary that tells
the true story of Eddie Koiki Mabo – the
man behind the landmark court battle
that changed the course of Indigenous
history in Australia.
Samson and Delilah (2009)
From celebrated director Warwick
Thornton, Samson and Delilah is a
harrowing and depiction of the brutal reality
of the cultural divide still evident in Australia
told through the story of young Aboriginal
lovers. A film that will stay with you forever.
First Australians (2008)
Described as “one of the most significant
documentary series in the history of
Australian television” First Australians is a
seven episode series that traces the history
of this land – from the birth of humanity on
this continent according to the Dreaming to
the aftermath of Eddie Mabo’s native title
victory.
The Last Wave (1977)
The Last Wave is a deadly film directed
by Peter Weir, one of Australia’s great
directors (Picnic at Hanging Rock,
Gallipoli). It is a mystery film set in
Sydney that involves Aboriginal people,
a homicide and a legal aid lawyer. The
movie stars the great Australian actor
and Yolngu man David Gulpilil. He said
of the film that it was “very important
for his people”, but also “the first film
to authentically describe Aboriginal
‘Dreamtime’ mythology”.
Frontier (1996)
This three-part historical series charting
the development of European policy
towards Australian Aborigines from
1788 to 1938 makes extensive use of
contemporary accounts, letters, diaries
and reports. It uses Australian art and
photography, and features readings by
many Australian actors.
Radiance (1998)
Adapted from the play by Louis Nowra,
Radiance follows three Indigenous sisters
as they reunite for their mother’s funeral.
It explores the impacts of child removal
and intergenerational trauma with black
humour and emotional monologues
reflecting its origins on the stage. It is
Rachel Perkins’ directorial debut on a
feature film.
Ningla A-Na: Hungry For Our Land (1972)
The only film about the events
surrounding the establishment of the
Aboriginal tent embassy on the lawns
of Parliament House in 1972, this
is an historic document, integral to
comprehension of the Aboriginal political
struggle. It incorporates many interviews
plus footage from the demonstrations and
arrests at the embassy.
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