Rabbit-Proof Fence (film)

Rabbit-Proof Fence
Directed by	Phillip Noyce
Produced by	Phillip Noyce Christine Olsen John Winter
Written by	Doris Pilkington (book) Christine Olsen
Starring	Everlyn Sampi, Kenneth Branagh David Gulpilil
Music by	Peter Gabriel
Cinematography	Christopher Doyle
Editing by	Veronika Jenet John Scott
Distributed by	Miramax Films
Release date(s)	Australia: 4 February 2002 United Kingdom: 8 November 2002 United States: 29 November 2002
Running time	94 min
Country	Australia
Language	English
Budget	US$6,000,000 (estimated)
Gross revenue	US$6,165,429 (USA subtotal) £1,368,188 (UK subtotal) AUD 7,510,545 (Australia subtotal)

Rabbit-Proof Fence is a 2002 Australian drama film based on the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara. It is a true story concerning the author's mother, as well as two other young mixed-race Aboriginal girls, who ran away from the Moore River Native Settlement, north of Perth, in order to return to their Aboriginal families, after having been placed there in 1931. The film follows the girls as they trek/walk for nine weeks along 1,500 miles (2,400 km) of the Australian rabbit-proof fence to return to their community at Jigalong, while being tracked by a white authority figure and an Aboriginal tracker.^[1]

The soundtrack to the film, called Long Walk Home: Music from the Rabbit-Proof Fence, is by Peter Gabriel.

Phillip Noyce's search for the Aboriginal actresses who star in the film is described in detail in the "Making Of" on the DVD.

Contents 1 The book 2 Plot 3 Public reaction and criticism 4 Film Cast 5 Awards and nominations 5.1 Australian Awards 5.2 International Awards 5.3 Award Nominations 6 Classifications and rating 7 Film Reviews 8 References 9 Bibiliography 10 See also 11 External links

The book

The book, Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence,^[2] was written as the second book in a trilogy by Doris Pilkington Garimara, documenting her family's stories.^[3] Caprice, a Stockman's Daughter, was the first book published and won the David Unaipon Award as part of the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards in 1990. In 2002, Doris Pilkington Garimara wrote the third book, Under the Wintamarra Tree, about her own life.

The screenplay was published as Rabbit-Proof Fence: the screenplay Adapted from the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Polkington Garimara. Strawberry Hills, N.S.W. : Currency Press, 2002.

Plot

Set in Western Australia during the 1930s, the film begins in the remote town of Jigalong where three children, Molly, Gracie and Daisy, live with their unnamed mother. The town lies along the northern part of Australia's rabbit-proof fence, which runs for several thousand miles.

Thousands of miles away, the "protector" of Western Australia aborigines, A.O. Neville, signs an order to relocate the three girls to his re-education camp. The children are referred to by Neville as "half-castes", having one white and one black parent. Neville's reasoning is that the aboriginal peoples of Australia are a danger to themselves and must be bred out of existence. The children are forcibly taken from Jigalong and taken to the camp at Moore River to the south. Half-castes that are of a certain age live at the camps and are taught to become servants for the whites living in Australia.

Molly, Gracie and Daisy decide to walk back home to Jigalong and escape the camp. A tracker, Moodoo, is called in to find them, however, the girls are far more clever than anyone knows. They evade Moodoo several times, receiving aid from strangers in the harsh Australian country they travel. They eventually find the rabbit-proof fence, knowing that they can follow it north to Jigalong. Neville soon figures out their motive and sends Moodoo and a local constable, Riggs, after them. However, though he is an experienced tracker, Moodoo is unable to find them. Neville spreads word that Gracie's mother is waiting for her in the town of Wiluna, causing Gracie to break off from the group and trek there. Molly and Daisy soon walk after her, finding her at the Wiluna train depot. They are not reunited however, as Riggs appears and Gracie is captured. Knowing they are helpless to aide her, Molly and Daisy continue on.

After several more weeks of following the fence, eluding their trackers and trekking through a vast expanse of open desert, the girls arrive close to Jigalong, it being implied that their mothers guided them there through ritual chanting. Though Riggs is waiting there, the town's women have been chanting heavily in the brush, a ritual that Riggs seems frightened of. As he moves through the brush looking for the girls, he encounters two of the women, one brandishing a sharpened stick. Riggs is frightened away and Molly and Daisy find their mothers.

The epilogue of the film shows recent footage of Molly and Daisy. Molly explains that she had her own daughters who were taken from her and how she was able to rescue one, but not the other. Her successful rescue was done in much the same manner as in her childhood; she walked the length of the fence back home.

Public reaction and criticism

The film formed a part of a major debate in contemporary Australia over the stolen generations - where Aboriginal children separated from their parents by the State were taken to residential schools. A.O. Neville, who was portrayed in the film, was the Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia at the time and was responsible for removing the girls from their families.

The film stirred debate over the historical accuracy of the claims of the stolen generation. Some, like Andrew Bolt,^[4][5] criticised the portrayal of Neville in the film, arguing that he was inaccurately represented as paternalistic and racist.^[4] Bolt also questioned the artistic portrayal in the film of the girls as prisoners in prison garb, chased by dogs and state troopers. He claimed that, in fact, they had been dressed in civilian clothes and tracked by concerned adults fearful of their welfare.^[4] He also claimed that when Molly Craig, whose journey was being told, saw the film, she stated that it was "not my story". However, she clarified that statement by saying her story still continued into her adult life and was not nicely resolved as the movie's ending made it appear.^[6]

That the story is based on historically true events is not in doubt. The film tells the story from the point of view of the girls and its supporters argue that it is a fair dramatic representation of events as told in the book.^[5] It is documented that Molly had a child who was taken away by the authorities.

On its release, the film was shown around the world and won critical acclaim, being nominated for and winning many awards, including those voted on by audiences. Its premiere was held in support of tribal rights group Survival International, who campaign on behalf of Australian aboriginal peoples.

In the film, two of the three girls are successful. The two sisters' cousin (Gracie) is tricked and caught, and never returned to Jigalong as told by the sisters at the end of the film.

Film Cast

• Everlyn Sampi as Molly Craig
• Tianna Sansbury as Daisy Kampill
• Laura Monaghan as Gracie Fields
• Kenneth Branagh as A. O. Neville
• David Gulpilil as Moodoo
• Deborah Mailman as Mavis

Awards and nominations

Australian Awards

2001 - Queensland Premier's Literary Awards.^[7]: Film Script - the Pacific Film and Television Commission Award (Christine Olsen)^[8]

2002 - Australian Film Institute Awards^[9]

• Best Film (Phillip Noyce, Christine Olsen, John Winter)
• Best Original Music Score (Peter Gabriel)
• Best Sound (Bronwyn Murphy, Craig Carter, Ricky Edwards, John Penders)

2002 - Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards^[10]

• Best Director (Phillip Noyce)
• Best Screenplay - Adapted (Christine Olsen)

2002 - Inside Film Awards^[11]

• Best Actress (Everlyn Sampi)
• Best Production Design (Roger Ford)

2002 - New South Wales Premier's History Awards^[12]: shortlisted for the The Premier's Young People's History Prize (Christine Olsen and Phillip Noyce)

International Awards

2002 (USA) - Aspen Filmfest^[13]: Audience Award, Audience Favourite Feature^[14] (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (Switzerland) - Castellinaria International Festival of Young Cinema,^[15]

• ASPI Award (Phillip Noyce)
• Golden Castle (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (USA) - The 2002 Starz Encore Denver International Film Festival,^[16]: People's Choice Award: Best Feature-Length Fiction Film (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (South Africa) - Durban International Film Festival^[17]: Audience Award (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (UK) - Edinburgh International Film Festival^[18]: Audience Award (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (UK) - Leeds International Film Festival^[19]: Audience Award (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (USA) - National Board of Review Awards 2002^[20]

• Freedom of Expression Award
• Best Director (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (USA) - San Francisco Film Critics Circle^[21]

• Special Citation (Phillip Noyce, Also for The Quiet American (2002))
• Audience Award: Best Foreign Film (Phillip Noyce)

2002 (Spain) - Valladolid International Film Festival^[22]: Audience Award: Feature Film (Phillip Noyce)

2003 (UK) - London Critics Circle Film Awards (ALFS)^[23]: Director of the Year (Phillip Noyce, also for The Quiet American (2002))

2003 (Brazil) - São Paulo International Film Festival^[24]: Audience Award: Best Foreign Film (Phillip Noyce)

Award Nominations

2002 (Australia) - Australian Film Institute Nominations^[25]

• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (David Gulpilil)
• Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle)
• Best Costume Design (Roger Ford)
• Best Direction (Phillip Noyce)
• Best Editing (Veronika Jenet, John Scott)
• Best Production Design (Roger Ford)
• Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Source (Christine Olsen)

2002 (Australia) - Film Critics Circle of Australia Nominations^[10] Australia

• Best Actor - Female (Everlyn Sampi)
• Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle)
• Best Film
• Best Music Score (Peter Gabriel)

2002 (Poland) - Camerimage - 2002 International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography^[26]: Golden Frog (Christopher Doyle)

2002 (USA) - Golden Trailer Award Nominations^[27]: Golden Trailer: Best Independent

2003 (USA) - Golden Globe Nominations^[28]: Golden Globe: Best Original Score - Motion Picture (Peter Gabriel)

2003 (USA) - Motion Picture Sound Editors Nomination^[29]: Golden Reel Award: Best Sound Editing in Foreign Features (Juhn Penders, Craig Carter, Steve Burgess, Ricky Edwards, Andrew Plain)

2003 (USA) - Political Film Society Awards^[30]

• Exposé
• Human Rights

2003 (USA) - Young Artist Awards^[31]

• Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress (Everlyn Sampi)
• Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Tianna Sansbury)

Classifications and rating

The film is rated PG by the Office of Film and Literature Classification (Australia).^[32]

Film Reviews

• [1] Rabbit-Proof Fence: Phillip Noyce's Diary
• "A rabbit-proof fence full of holes", The Australian, March 11, 2002. Critique by Peter Howson (Minister for Aboriginal affairs in 1971 and 1972) and Des Moore (director of the Institute for Private Enterprise)
• Rabbit Proof Fence (2002) Reviewed by Jamie Russell, October 16, 2002 BBC Film Review (Retrieved 28 July 2007)
• Rabbit Proof Fence, Review by Luke Buckmaster In Film Australia (Retrieved 28 July 2007)

References

Bibiliography

• "Australian Journalist Questions ‘Stolen Generation’, by Ian S. McIntosh". European Network for Indigenous Australian Rights. http://www.eniar.org/news/Bolt.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. 
• Brewster, Anne (2007). ""The Stolen Generations: Rites of Passage: Doris Pilkington interviewed by Anne Brewster (22 January 2005)". The Journal of Commonwealth Literature 42 (No 1): 143–159. doi:10.1177/0021989407075735. 
• Pilkington Garimara, Doris (2001). Follow the rabbit-proof fence. St Lucia, Qld: University of Queensland Press. ISBN 0702232815. 
• "Rabbit-Proof Fence Title Details". National Film and Sound Archive. http://colsearch.nfsa.afc.gov.au/nfsa/search/display/display.w3p;adv=yes;group=;groupequals=;holdingType=;page=0;parentid=;query=Number%3A507777%20Media%3A%22FILM%22;querytype=;rec=0;resCount=10. Retrieved on 2007-07-28. 
• "Rabbit-proof myths, by: Andrew Bolt". bolta@heraldsun.com.au. http://members.optushome.com.au/jimball/Rabbitproofmyth.html. Retrieved on 2007-07-28. 

See also

• South Australian Film Corporation

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Rabbit-Proof Fence (film)

• Phillip Noyce's Shooting Diary
• Rabbit-Proof Fence at the Internet Movie Database
• Rabbit-Proof Fence at Allmovie
• Phil Noyce Interview
• Bolt on Stolen Generation
• Villella, Fiona A. (2002) "Long road home: Phillip Noyce's Rabbit-Proof Fence" in Senses of Cinema March 2002 Accessed: 2007-07-27
• film.org.au: the best of Australian Films

v • d • e Films directed by Phillip Noyce Castor and Pollux (1973) · That's Showbiz (1973) · Backroads (1977) · Newsfront (1978) · Heatwave (1982) · Echoes of Paradise (1987) · Dead Calm (1989) · Blind Fury (1989) · Patriot Games (1992) · Sliver (1993) · Clear and Present Danger (1994) · The Saint (1997) · The Bone Collector (1999) · Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) · The Quiet American (2002) · Catch a Fire (2006) · Salt (2010)

v • d • e Cinema of Australia Lists of films: 1896–1919 • 1920s • 1930s • 1940s • 1950s • 1960s • 1970s • 1980s • 1990s • 2000s Actors • Animators • Awards • Directors • Films A–Z • Cinematographers • Composers • Critics • Editors • Festivals • Producers • Schools • Screenwriters

v • d • e Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film The Interview (1998)  · Two Hands (1999)  · Looking for Alibrandi (2000)  · Lantana (2001) · Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) · Japanese Story (2003) · Somersault (2004) · Look Both Ways (2005) · Ten Canoes (2006) · Romulus, My Father (2007) · The Black Balloon (2008) · Complete List · (1958–1968) · (1968–1978) · (1978–1988) · (1988–1998) · (1998–2008)

adult

stock | retire | vm
Why are we here?
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
This page is cache of Wikipedia. History