Australian Culture and Australian Film

Australian films are one of the important sites where Australians examine their culture. Successful films tell stories that people are interested in-stories that amuse them or confront them or challenge them or move them emotionally. Viewing Australian films, then, is a way to find out about Australian culture, but not in a straightforward manner.

Films are, of course, representations of culture-slices, versions. And, as with any representation, the filmmakers have picked and chosen what to include, not always consciously. Often the version of Australian culture that appears on film is significantly influenced by what the film financers think that audiences will want to see. Sometimes the most interesting aspects of a film are the omissions-the bits of Australian culture that have been left out.

In any case, it's probably true to say that there is no such thing as 'Australian culture'. Instead there are many different Australian cultures: the Australia of inner city Melbourne is very different from outer suburban Brisbane, and that again is very different from a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory; a film about young working class Australian men will necessarily be very different from a film about older middle-class women.

The following list of films offer a range of different versions of Australian life and Australianness. For those wanting to explore Australian culture, perhaps the most interesting question is what was it that made these particular representations of Australian life interesting to Australian audiences?

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 1994
A road movie about three drag queens and their interactions with the people they meet in outback Australia. This film sets some stereotypes of traditional Australian identity against more fluid ideas about gender, sexuality, identity.

The Castle, 1997
A comedy about a family who is threatened with losing their home to a corporation wanting to extend the nearby airport. Reaffirms many traditional ideas about what it means to be Australian.

Crocodile Dundee, 1986
A classic 'fish out of water' comedy that sets a tough Australian crocodile hunter against a sophisticated New York woman, first in the Australian outback and then in New York.

Gallipoli, 1981
A film that explores the reasons why young Australian men became involved in the First World War, and then restates the myths about the fighting at Gallipoli, where, it was commonly believed, Australia 'came of age'.

Japanese Story, 2003
This film sets a stereotypical young Japanese businessman against a young Australian woman in the outback.

Lantana, 2001
Uses the thriller genre to examine the relationship difficulties faced by a number of couples in a contemporary Australian city. 

Looking for Alibrandi, 2000
Follows a young girl of Italian descent through the last year of secondary school as she learns more about her family and wonders about her future. Interested in the multicultural nature of Australian society.

Rabbit-Proof Fence, 2002
Re-tells the journey of three young Aboriginal girls who escaped from a Government camp in 1931 to travel 1500 miles back to their home. The film deals with the issue of what are often called 'the stolen generations'-Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families.

Radiance, 1999
Three Aboriginal women return to a Queensland country town for the funeral of their mother. The film depicts their different life stories and brings up secrets from the past.

Shine, 1996 
David Helfgott, a gifted pianist suffers a breakdown. Shine explores the reasons for this, and examines his attempts to deal with his past.

Strictly Ballroom, 1992
A feelgood comedy set in the world of ballroom dance competitions. Strictly Ballroom tells about growing up and about multiculturalism.

The Tracker, 2002
Examines the incompatibility of Aboriginal and European law. Three Anglo men and an Indigenous tracker pursue an Indigenous man accused of murdering an Anglo woman.

Two Hands, 1999
A nineteen year old young man finds himself owing a Sydney criminal $10,000 and must somehow pay back the money.

Dr. Phillip Butterss, Senior Lecturer, English, University of Adelaide