Rabbit Proof Fence, an Australian film directed by Phillip Noyce and released in 2002, dives into the experiences of the Stolen Generations in Australia. It had an emotional and social impact on the Australian population, many of whom did not fully understand or were unaware of Australia’s assimilation policies against mixed-race Aboriginal children.
The film is based on the true story of Molly Craig, as told in the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara, which recounts the story of her mother. The film orbits around the journey that Molly, her sister Daisy, and their cousin Gracie, embark on in order to reunite with their families back home in Jigalong.
Their resilience and cleverness are key to escaping the confines of the Moore River Settlement, an institution the Australian government used to separate mixed-race Aboriginal children from their communities and the rest of the white population to be “helped.” This was the perception of those involved in the effort to assimilate them into white Australian culture. From the moment they arrive at Moore River, it’s clear to the girls that their lives and identities are under threat. Rabbit-Proof Fence carries profound themes of survival, family, and the strength of cultural identity in a colonized framework. The girls’ journey becomes a symbol of resistance against oppressive policies and ideologies that sought to erase a culture that came first in Australia, exposing a history that the film urges its viewers to confront.
The film brings attention to Australia’s assimilation policies and the effects they had on generations of Aboriginal families. By emphasizing this tragic history, the film challenges audiences to recognize the need for understanding, reconciliation, and accountability. Visually, the film captures the harsh beauty of the Australian landscape and enhances the emotional weight of the character’s journey. Vast open spaces that feel both beautiful and desolate are documented. The dryness and isolation of the landscape amplify the girls’ sense of struggle and loneliness, making each of their steps significant. There is a melancholy that pervades the film, a quiet sorrow that mirrors the stolen innocence of Molly, Daisy, and Gracie.
These visuals echo the challenges and the deep sense of loss felt by the girls as they fight to find their way home. How naive and how innocent the characters are, yet they still can see the intention behind being forced into such circumstances, specifically Molly, who succeeds by being an observer of the little things that surround her before and after what occurred. Reflecting the complexity of the cultural, economic, and political conquest of a land by a society that thinks of itself as superior. How the standard English invasion claims their race as superior and exploits the native population while intending to breed out the third caste.
Ultimately, the film is more than a story of survival, its haunting beauty and powerful narrative leave a mark on those who watch it. Inviting the viewer to witness a dark chapter in history and to honour the resilience of those who fought to hold on to their identities.
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