Australia offers a treasure trove of iconic and beloved films. With no end in sight to Auckland’s current lockdown, what better time to connect with our neighbours from the comfort of own living rooms in the company of a classic Aussie flick? We’ve compiled a list of some well- and lesser-known titles to pick from.
The Castle
(1997)
A film that many might have seen, if not for a while, this humble, heart-warming Aussie classic about a family wanting to hang on to the house that holds their history is a powerful, timeless reminder that the most important thing we have is each other. And what better time to be reminded of that than now?
Japanese Story
(2003)
A character study about what it means to be forced to spend time with someone you don’t like, this story sees two people find connection in unusual and different ways to what we have come to expect from a typical romance movie. Instead, it centres around the impact a person can have on our lives, no matter how little we know them or how brief the time we spend together.
Rabbit Proof Fence
(2002)
The story of three Indigenous sisters who escape a life of servitude to return home to their family, Rabbit Proof Fence is a piece of filmmaking as important now as ever. Set in early 1930s Western Australia, this film documents the power struggle between the state and three young girls wanting to be with their family and maintain their connection to their culture. Warning: have a box of tissues nearby!
Top End Wedding
(2019)
A feel-good rom-com about a couple desperately trying to find the bride’s mother days before their wedding. The parallel between the joy and excitement of the soon-to-be married couple, and the hard work it takes to maintain a marriage reflected in the bride’s parents, makes for a heart-warming, funny story about the endurance of love and the importance of choosing what’s most important as we age.
Red Dog
(2011)
A dog roams the outback looking for his master. Put simply, Red Dog is a film about the power that animals hold to bring us together. Based on a true story.
WORDS — Zach Thompson
IMAGE — Rabbit Proof Fence
