Rabbit-Proof Fence
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Rabbit-Proof Fence Rabbit-Proof Fence Film Guide Brendan Maher freshfilmfestival Rabbit-Proof Fence Rabbit Proof Fence Introduction received Dead Calm in 1989. The film Director Philip Noyce Set in 1930’s Australia, Rabbit Proof featured Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill. Australia - USA/90 mins/2002/Colour Fence details the true story of a nine Noyce continued to work in the week trek made by three Aboriginal thriller genre with films such as Sliver girls from the adoptive state home (1993) and The Saint (1997). His two Cast where they were forcibly taken, films from Tom Clancy’s books Patriot Everlyn Sampi Molly Craig back to their family home. Philip Games (1992) and Clear and Present Tianna Sansbury Daisy Kadibill Noyce’s film tells us of a generation of Danger (1994) were generally well Laura Monaghan Gracie Fields Aboriginal children who, because of received. In advance of making Rabbit David Gulpilil Moodoo State Law in Australia, were removed Proof Fence, he said: Ningali Lawford Maud from their homes in order to be “After ten years in Hollywood, I’m still an Myarn Lawford Molly’s Grandmother re-educated and assimilated into outsider, a migrant guest worker telling Deborah Mailman Mavis the white community. Rabbit Proof other people’s stories. As a citizen of the Jason Clarke Constable Riggs Fence recounts the bravery of these world, without nationality, I’ve become the Kenneth Branagh A.O. Neville individual children whilst also depicting ultimate Hollywood foot soldier, directing Natasha Wanganeen the social and political views which action/adventure, escapist stories designed Nina, Dormitory Boss caused their flight. The children’s story to mesmerize across all boundaries. I know Garry McDonald is but one for what has become known that black-themed films have never worked Mr. Neal at Moore River in Australia as ‘The Stolen Generation’ at the Australian Cinema box office. But Roy Billing Police Inspector it’s time to go home.” Daisy Craig Kadibill Herself Director Philip Noyce Noyce has most recently directed Molly Craig Herself New South Wales-born, Philip Noyce is Catch A Fire (2006) - a film set in probably best known for his American South Africa during the Apartheid Crew films Clear and Present Danger, Patriot years, detailing government oppression Director/Producer Phillip Noyce Games and The Bone Collector. against white South Africans who Producer Christine Olsen Despite these films being in the opposed the regime. Producer John Winter action/thriller genre, Noyce is also Original Music Peter Gabriel known for more studied pieces such Story Synopsis Director of Photography as The Quiet American and Rabbit Proof The year is 1931, Molly, Gracie and Christopher Doyle Fence. Making films since he was a Daisy are three Aboriginal girls of mixed Editors Veronika Jenet, John Scott teenager (he used to sell roles to his parentage. They live with their mother Casting Christine King friends to finance his films), Noyce Maud in the Bush near the remote depot Production Design Roger Ford was picked to study at the inaugural of Jingalong in Western Australia. Art Director Laurie Faen Australian Film School in Sydney in The depot runs close to the State Set Decorator Rebecca Cohen 1973. Castor and Pollux a 50 - minute Barrier Fence, a wire construction Costume Designer Roger Ford documentary about two rebellious that runs the length of the continent, brothers, which he made at College, designed to keep rabbits and other won the award for the best Australian vermin from entering the area and short film in 1974. eating the crops and vegetation. Noyce first visited an Aboriginal As ‘half-castes’, the three girls theme in 1977 when he directed have been ear-marked by the Chief Backroads which starred activist Gary Protector of Aborigines A.O. Neville Foley. The film was a road movie and his Government department as following five companions across suitable candidates for assimilation into Australia. In 1978, Noyce directed and white Australian society. This is part of co-wrote Newsfront an award laden and Government policy. commercial hit in Australia . Following a The girls are forcibly taken away number of years directing American TV from their mother and brought to shows such as The Hitchhiker, Noyce’s the Moore River camp. This camp is a introduction into the Hollywood starting point, where the girls will learn mainstream came by way of the well- English and be trained in basic tasks, freshfilmfestival Rabbit-Proof Fence making them suitable for employment Fence as a guide. But lack of funding and Australia was initially used as a as domestic workers when they are the difficult terrain frustrate the search penal colony to cope with the overflow older. The Camp is run strictly and and the children slip through. from British mainland and colonial wrongdoers are punished. The two girls cross the most hostile prisons, as well as naval stop-off for Molly decides to escape and takes part of the terrain – the desert, guided trade with China. Settlement began in her sisters with her. The children are in a mysterious way by a totemic bird. earnest in the 1840’s and vast tracts of discovered missing and an Aboriginal Maud is waiting for them at Jingalong land were cleared for farming, forcing tracker Moodoo is sent after them. and must ward off the local policeman the indigenous Aboriginal population The girls keep ahead of Moodoo and by threatening violence. Reunited after (who it’s estimated had lived on the live on what they can scavenge from the girl’s 1,500 mile journey, the family continent for 40,000 years previously) the locations they find themselves in. head into the bush, safe for a while, out back from the traditional tribal areas. One white woman gives them some of reach of Government agencies. There were many small-scale violent food and tells them of the Rabbit Proof The film moves forward to the clashes, but the Aborigines, with poorly Fence that stretches close to her present and we see the real Molly and developed weapons, were no match property. Molly realises that this fence, Daisy walking in the bush. for the settlers and their attendant if followed, can logically lead them back army firepower. to Jingalong. Historical Context This forced dispossession of They walk the length of the fence, Modern Australian History their land was one thing, given that dealing with drifters and farmers as and the Aborigines the Aboriginal culture was very they go. Gracie is captured again by the In 1788 there were an estimated 750,000 much linked to the land, but the police, after taking a different route Aborigines on the Australian continent. Aborigines also came in contact with to reach her father. The government By the 1890’s, there were only 100,000 European diseases, which they had no in Perth attempt to track the children, with three and a half million European immunity from. These diseases such realising that they are using the State settlers now living there. as chickenpox, smallpox, influenza and freshfilmfestival Rabbit-Proof Fence This re-absorption programme did wipe out the native cultural heritage of many young Australians, but it has been found that such a re-socialisation process did not have the success it was hoped for. Leaving governmental control at the age of eighteen, the removed children in line with the rest of the native population showed high levels of substance abuse and crime (they were three times as likely to have a police record). Astonishingly, they were also less likely to have received a secondary education. The main advantage noted, was that they usually had a higher level of income, mainly measles actually caused the majority of wiped out either through assimilation due to the fact that many had moved to deaths amongst the native population. or a basic inability to survive and adapt urban areas, where work was The Aboriginal population eventually to modern life. more plentiful. moved to the more arid and unuseable The stated aims of the conference Many of the ‘Stolen Generations’ areas of the continent, where European in regard to mixed-race children were: report as adults, of difficulties in settlement was sparse, or else became - to culturally assimilate mixed- coming to terms with their background linked to fringe settlements near white descent Aborigines into contemporary and with their heritage. Much initial villages and cities, ekeing out a living from Australian society so as to aid in the governmental documentation was lost labouring or menial work. Some began to biological assimilation of the native race. or not even taken down, so some of the live on Christian mission stations, where “Generally by the fifth and invariably by individuals have no way of finding their they were educated and fed. the sixth generation, all native characteristics parents or forebears. of the Australian Aborigine are eradicated. Historical Context The problem of our half-castes will quickly be The actual Rabbit-Proof The Stolen Generations eliminated by the complete disappearance of Fence By the 1930’s, when Rabbit Proof Fence the black race, and the swift submergence of The rabbit proof fence that the children is set, the native population had been their progeny in the white.” use as their guide to get home actually drastically weakened. The Government Dr Cecil Cook - Aboriginal Protector, exists in Western Australia. regarded the indigenous population as Northern Territory The fence was erected due to the a problem and thus looked at ways of This statement is made visible by introduction of European animals to solving that problem. One element of the lecture given by A.O. Neville in Australia. Rabbits were released into the problem was the existence of ‘half the film where he shows in slides the the Australian wild as early as 1756 castes’ – children of mixed indigenous visual features of an Aborigine who as a sport for hunters.