Saturday, May 17, 2008

Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) PG - 4 Stars

I really liked this film and the three young girls who had never even thought about acting before this movie came along. Bravo girls. Australian true story of the incredible determination of three young girls that walked over 1500 miles to return back to their village. There is a rabbit proof fence that runs along the village of Jigalong near the Gibson Desert. This fence splits Australia in two between the north and the south and the fence is there, believe it or not, to keep rabbits out of the fields on the other side.

In the 1930's white settlers had moved into much of Australia forcing the aborigines either off their land or pushing them way back into the bush. This is the story of three young half bred aborigines girls that were taken from their mother to be put in a more civilized environment where they can be bred to remove the Aborigines race from them. The girls would be trained to work as servants.

Molly (Everlyn Sampi), her young sister Daisy (Tianna Sansbury) and their cousin Gracie (Laura Monaghan) were three such girls taken from their homes. The government ordered the girls to be removed, under A.O. Neville (Kenneth Branagh) direction, and put in an institution and taught the same way as young white girls. Basically asking them to forget everything they knew about their culture and language and conform to the white image. Molly won't comply and dreams of being back home with her mother.

Molly comes up with a plan for the girls that if they can find the rabbit proof fence, they can follow it all the way back to their home. The three set out on their journey to return back to Jigalong by way of the fence. With no food, water or shoes, two of the girls make it all the way back home, 1,500 miles.

2002 - Rabbit-Proof Fence - National Board of Review - Best Director
2002 - Rabbit-Proof Fence - National Board of Review - Freedom of Expression Award

Miramax Films
Director: Phillip Noyce
Writer: Christine Olsen
Producers: Phillip Noyce, John Winter, Christine Olsen
I viewed 5/07

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