Australia postures as "the most successful multicultural nation on earth". Works for Anglos, Chinese, Indians, you name it. Not so well, if you're Indigenous.
Director Newell couldn't possibly have made this movie without the hard-earned trust of the communities and families. This pays off as cinema, as the central figure of Dujuan springs to life as a complex and renegade character at odds with his "white" schooling. Central locale Alice Springs, not the prettiest of towns, also springs to life visually, under artfully-chosen lenses and shots.
Along the way, Newell makes a powerful case for much more respect and resources to be thrown at Indigenous (non-school, land-based, language-based, elder-centric) channels and pathways of educating Indigenous kids.
It's a case that wouldn't cost that much to realise, in one of the richest countries on earth, which already has a two-tier schooling system in any event.
By OECD norms, a ridiculous share of our $50bn national schooling kitty goes to church schools with selective entry and uncapped fees. Yep, these pampered schools do take a few Indigenous kids. Just enough to make them look good.
Director Newell couldn't possibly have made this movie without the hard-earned trust of the communities and families. This pays off as cinema, as the central figure of Dujuan springs to life as a complex and renegade character at odds with his "white" schooling. Central locale Alice Springs, not the prettiest of towns, also springs to life visually, under artfully-chosen lenses and shots.
Along the way, Newell makes a powerful case for much more respect and resources to be thrown at Indigenous (non-school, land-based, language-based, elder-centric) channels and pathways of educating Indigenous kids.
It's a case that wouldn't cost that much to realise, in one of the richest countries on earth, which already has a two-tier schooling system in any event.
By OECD norms, a ridiculous share of our $50bn national schooling kitty goes to church schools with selective entry and uncapped fees. Yep, these pampered schools do take a few Indigenous kids. Just enough to make them look good.