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| home | news lEmotional tribute to indigenous talentBy Gary Maddox 9 December 2002 - One of the most emotional speeches in the event's history - and one of the most abrupt - highlighted the recognition for Aboriginal stories and talent at the Australian Film Institute awards on the weekend.
Author Doris Pilkington, whose mother made the epic journey that inspired Rabbit-Proof Fence, held the live audience spellbound after the stolen generations drama won best film. She told her own emotional story about being taken by the authorities from her mother, Molly in the film, as a child. "At the age of 24, for the first time in my life, I was able to say the two most precious words in the English language - mum and dad." Pilkington's lighter-skinned sister, who considers herself an orphan, has still not accepted her Aboriginal family. "My mother, at 86, has not given up hope. Every time the family goes to Jigalong, she asks the same question: any news, any news?" To rousing applause, Pilkington urged the Prime Minister to personally apologise to her mother - to "sit down on the ground and let his tears mingle with my mother's and tell her softly, 'Molly, I'm sorry the government took your daughter away.' " Rabbit-Proof Fence also won best score, for Peter Gabriel, and best sound. The awards followed Phillip Noyce being named director of the year by the American National Board of Review for both Rabbit-Proof Fence and The Quiet American. Echoing the recognition for black actors at the Oscars, they also brought unprecedented recognition for Aboriginal talent - David Gulpilil as best actor for The Tracker, Ivan Sen as best director for Beneath Clouds, Allan Collins as best cinematographer for the same film and film-maker Rachel Perkins as winner of the Byron Kennedy award. The most abrupt speech - in a ceremony with too many television glitches - came when Gulpilil was cut off while accepting the best actor prize. "I deserve this," he said to laughter. "Thank you Australia to recognise me." While he paused, the ceremony swung into a clip of winners from the non-televised categories. It was an uncomfortable moment - with presenter Bill Hunter gently guiding Gulpilil offstage - that was reminiscent of Russell Crowe's acceptance speech being cut at the BAFTA telecast this year. But instead of anger, the actor-turned-crocodile hunter just seemed delighted to win. He rejected an offer to return to the stage. The other film to excel was director Tony Ayres' Walking on Water, a drama about two house-mates dealing with a friend's death. It won five awards including best actress for Maria Theodorakis, supporting actress for Judi Farr, supporting actor for Nathaniel Dean, original screenplay for Roger Monk and editing for Reva Childs. In the absence of a comedy category, the ABC's Kath and Kim won best television drama, screenplay in a television drama and an acting award for Magda Szubanski. The other big television winner was The Road From Coorain, which won four awards including best tele-feature or mini-series and best actress for Juliet Stevenson. Source: Sydney Morning Herald Gulpilil leads lesser lights to glory By Christine Sams 9 December 2002 - The Australian film industry celebrated fresh talent as relative unknowns upstaged the bigger stars at the AFI Awards. The industry also paid tribute to the achievements of one of its great stars, Mel Gibson, who was awarded the AFI Global Achievement Award. While Phillip Noyce celebrated as Rabbit-Proof Fence was named Best Film, he was beaten to the Best Director award by Ivan Sen, a 30-year- old film-maker from Inverell in northern NSW. Sen's low-budget debut feature film Beneath Clouds won the award for Best Director and Best Cinematography. David Gulpilil, who won Best Actor for The Tracker, flew from his remote home in the Northern Territory and said: "I feel proud to be here. Sometimes dreams come true." Director Rachel Perkins, daughter of the late Aboriginal activist Charles Perkins, was awarded the Byron Kennedy award. "I feel so proud these indigenous stories are being told," she said. "We've never had anything like it in this country before." Another big winner of the night was a low-budget independent film, Walking On Water, the story of a gay man who opts for euthanasia, and explores the effect of his decision on his closest friends. Maria Theodorakis, who starred with Vince Colosimo in the film, was awarded Best Actress in a leading role. The winners are ...
Special Awards:
Source: Sydney Morning Herald
AFI a night of indigenous pride By Sophie Tedmanson, Entertainment writer December 9, 2002 - It may have been touted as a celebration of Australia's indigenous film-makers, but the AIDS drama Walking on Water and suburban television comedy Kath & Kim were the surprise winners at the AFI awards on the weekend. The Tony Ayres film Walking on Water, about a household of friends coming to terms with a friend's death from AIDS, dominated the awards winning best actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, original screenplay and editing. It was a night of firsts. It was the first year the four movies nominated for best film carried indigenous themes. The stolen generation drama Rabbit-Proof Fence won the coveted award, which was accepted by director Phillip Noyce, producers Christine Olsen and John Winter and Doris Pilkington Garimara. Garimara, who wrote the book based on her mother's childhood experience of trying to return to her home community at Jigalong in Western Australia, made a poignant speech about being one of the stolen generation and appealed for an apology from Prime Minister John Howard. "I appeal to the people of Australia to support the stolen generation's request of the Government to say sorry to them," she said. "For me personally I would like him to go to Jigalong and sit down with my mother and say sorry in the traditional way . . . let his tears mingle with hers." Indigenous writer-director Ivan Sen was named best director for his feature film directorial debut Beneath Clouds. Walking on Water's Maria Theodorakis (best actress) and Nathaniel Dean (best supporting actor) also won for their first feature film roles. And The Tracker's David Gulpilil was finally acknowledged with a best actor award after a 31-year history in film. Rachel Perkins was honoured with the Byron Kennedy award, given to someone early in their career for innovation and the pursuit of excellence. She dedicated the award to her father Charles. Perkins joined Gulpilil, Sen and Allan Collins (best cinematography for Beneath Clouds) who were all indigenous award winners. "Tonight is very significant because it is the first time in the history of this country that four indigenous people have won an AFI award, it's just extraordinary," Perkins said after receiving her gong. In the television categories, the ABC comedy Kath & Kim was the surprise winner of best drama series. The comedy about a suburban mother and daughter won ahead of the legal-medical drama MDA, hospital series All Saints and The Secret Life of Us, which revolves around twentysomethings living in the city. Kath & Kim's wins (Magda Szubanski was named best supporting actress in a drama series) prompted the popular show's writers and stars Gina Riley and Jane Turner to call for a comedy category next year. Szubanski said it proved comedy was becoming more credible. "I'm bloody rapt," she said. "It's very rewarding for all of us to finally feel as though we're entering into the credibility stakes." Source:The Australian
Gulpilil honoured at rabbit-proof awards By Garry Maddox, Film Writer 7 November 2002 - Actor David Gulpilil had a good excuse for not collecting his second acting prize in less than a week last night. He was crocodile hunting in the Northern Territory. The star of The Tracker made a no-fuss acceptance speech via video after being named best actor at the IF Awards in Sydney. According to the organisers, Gulpilil is working as a croc hunter between acting jobs. The star of such films as Walkabout, Storm Boy, The Last Wave, Crocodile Dundee and Rabbit-Proof Fence - but not The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course - also won a living legend award for his contribution to the film industry. Gulpilil was named best actor by the country's film critics last week and has the chance of a hat-trick at the Australian Film Institute awards next month. Last night's awards, run by Inside Film magazine, were another triumph for The Tracker. The low-budget drama about a party searching for an Aboriginal fugitive was named best film ahead of Australian Rules and Walking on Water. The country's biggest box office success, Rabbit-Proof Fence, was not even nominated. But Everlyn Sampi, who played the oldest of three girls trekking through the desert, was named best actress. The shy teenager was growing up quietly in a community outside Broome when director Phil Noyce cast her in the drama. She won from two other screen newcomers - Danielle Hall from Beneath Clouds and Maria Theodorakis from Walking on Water. Rabbit-Proof Fence also won awards for best editing (Veronika Jenet and John Scott) and best production design (Roger Ford). Confirming the dominance of films telling stories about Aboriginal and white relations, the best director award went to Ivan Sen for Beneath Clouds and the best documentary was Leah Purcell's Black Chicks Talking. Bucking the trend, Roger Monk won best script for the contemporary drama Walking on Water. Source:The Sydney Morning Herald
Rabbit-Proof Fence triumphs at last Down Under Sandy George in Sydney 9 December 2002 - Rabbit-Proof Fence has at last been voted best film in its country of origin. The producers - expatriate director Phillip Noyce, writer Christine Olsen and John Winter - earned the top accolade on Saturday at the AFI (Australian Film Institute) Awards, the longest-running local awards event. Ivan Sen was voted best director for Beneath Clouds, which also earned Alan Collins best cinematography, and was awarded the A$10,000 AFI Harper's BAZAAR Screenwriter's Prize on the previous day. But on the night it was Roger Monk who took home the original screenplay award for Walking On Water, and Phillip Gwyne and Paul Goldman who won the adapted category with Australian Rules. Walking On Water dominated the acting awards with Helen Theodorakis honoured for her leading performance and Nathaniel Dean and Judi Farr for their supporting roles. David Gulpilil won best actor as The Tracker's title character, topping off his most successful year since being cast in Walkabout over 30 years ago. Gulpilil and Monk are the only names that have appeared as winners in all three sets of awards given out in the last two months. The AFI Award for best foreign film went to The Fellowship Of The Ring, while Mel Gibson won the global achievement award. Former long-term head of the Australian Children's Television Foundation, Dr Patricia Edgar, was presented with the Raymond Longford Lifetime Achievement Award, and Rachel Perkins accepted the Byron Kennedy Award for her "creative excellence" and "artistic boldness". Perkins, who directed the films Radiance and One Night The Moon, dedicated her award to her late father, politician Charles Perkins, who continues to provide inspiration and taught her to be proud of being Aboriginal and to strive for excellence. She said it was the first time that four Aboriginal people had won AFI Awards - the others being Gulpilil and Sen. All four best film nominations had Aboriginal themes, although only Beneath Clouds was driven by Aboriginal people. Doris Pilkington, writer of the book on which Rabbit-Proof Fence was based, used her acceptance speech to call on Australians to help break down racial barriers and to keep pressing the Government to say sorry to the "stolen generation" so that the healing could begin. The "stolen generation" is the term used for the half-caste Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families over several decades and is the backdrop for the 1930s story about three little girls trying to find their way home while dodging their pursuers. While this may have been motivated by good intentions, the Federal Government's refusal to apologise keeps the issue simmering. Source: Screen International
Australian Film Now 'In the Black' 8 December 2002 - Australian Democrats Senator Aden Ridgeway - Media Release - Australian Democrats' Arts and Indigenous Affairs Spokesperson, Senator Aden Ridgeway, has congratulated director Ivan Sen; actor David Gulpilil; director and producer Rachel Perkins; and all involved in the making of Rabbit Proof Fence, Beneath Clouds and The Tracker on their success in last night's AFI Awards. "This year's Australian Film Institute Awards have honoured Australian Indigenous actors, directors and stories with an unprecedented swag of awards, truly making it one of Australian film's 'blackest' nights," said Senator Ridgeway. "This remarkable fusion of Indigenous stories and film has created an historic moment in which every film nominated in the Best Film category was either Indigenous, directed, acted or themed. "The recognition of these people by their industry peers shows a maturity within the Australian film industry which I would encourage our political leaders to follow," he said. Senator Ridgeway commended all of last night's award winners on their creativity, persistence and hard work in an industry which tells Australian stories to our own country and to the world. "The Democrats recognise we have a strong, innovative and vibrant arts sector, with extraordinarily talented people," said Senator Ridgeway. "We need to move the Arts from the periphery to the centre of public policy, in recognition that innovation and creativity are critical to the nation's future." "The Australian Democrats cultural policy outlines the need to explore a range of financial incentive options that will strengthen the capacity of local films and documentaries to attract private investment; greater financial assistance for organisations that promote wider distribution and appreciation of Australian film - particularly independent distributors; and a substantial increase in investment in the infrastructure required to attract and keep more of the film production process in Australia. "We also call for increased funding for existing film repositories to preserve and make available older Australian films and documentaries, and to digitise our film heritage that is in danger of being lost forever," concluded Senator Ridgeway. Source:Australian Democrats Further information:
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