Rabbit-Proof Fence

Australia

2002

94 Min

Color

2.35:1

Aboriginal, English

Currently 3.4/5 Stars.
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PROD Phillip Noyce, Christine Olsen, John Winter

SCR Doris Pilkington, Christine Olsen

CAST Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, Laura Monaghan, David Gulpilil, Ningali Lawford, Kenneth Branagh

Western Australia, 1931. Government policy includes taking half-caste children from their Aboriginal mothers and sending them a thousand miles away to what amounts to indentured servitude, “to save them from themselves.” Molly, Daisy, and Grace (two sisters and a cousin who are 14, 10, and 8) arrive at their Gulag and promptly escape, under Molly’s lead. For days they walk north, following a fence that keeps rabbits from settlements, eluding a native tracker and the regional constabulary. Their pursuers take orders from the government’s “chief protector of Aborigines,” A.O. Neville, blinded by Anglo-Christian certainty, evolutionary world view and conventional wisdom. Can the girls survive? —IMDb

Director

Phillip Noyce

Born in the Australian outback town of Griffith, New South Wales, Noyce moved to Sydney with his family at the age of 12. As a teenager, he was introduced to underground films produced on shoestring budgets as well as mainstream American movies. He was 18 when he made his first film, the 15-minute “Better to Reign in Hell,” utilizing a unique financing scheme selling roles in the movie to his friends.

In 1973, he was selected to attend the Australian National Film School in its inaugural year. Here, he made Castor and Pollux (1973), a 50-minute documentary which won the award for best Australian short film of 1974.

Noyce’s first professional film was the 50-minute docu-drama “God Knows Why, But It Works” in 1975. This helped pave the way for his first feature, the road movie Backroads (1977) which starred Australian Aboriginal activist Gary Foley. In 1978, he directed and co-wrote Newsfront (1978), which won Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the… read more

Born in the Australian outback town of Griffith, New South Wales, Noyce moved to Sydney with his family at the age of 12. As a teenager, he was introduced to underground films produced on shoestring budgets as well as mainstream American movies. He was 18 when he made his first film, the 15-minute “Better to Reign in Hell,” utilizing a unique financing scheme selling roles in the movie to his friends.

In 1973, he was selected to attend the Australian National Film School in its inaugural year. Here, he made Castor and Pollux (1973), a 50-minute documentary which won the award for best Australian short film of 1974.

Noyce’s first professional film was the 50-minute docu-drama “God Knows Why, But It Works” in 1975. This helped pave the way for his first feature, the road movie Backroads (1977) which starred Australian Aboriginal activist Gary Foley. In 1978, he directed and co-wrote Newsfront (1978), which won Best Film, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay at the Australian Film Awards, as well as proving a huge commercial hit in Australia. In addition to opening the London Film Festival, Newsfront (1978) was the first Australian film to screen at the New York Film Festival.

In 1982, In der Hitze des Zorns (1982), co-written and directed by Noyce and starring Judy Davis, was chosen to screen at the Director’s Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

Noyce’s other film credits include the political thrillers Die Stunde der Patrioten (1992) and Das Kartell (1994) starring Harrison Ford, Todesstille (1989) starring Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill and Billy Zane and Der Knochenjäger (1999) which starred Oscar© winner Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

Returning to his native Australia after 12 years working within the Hollywood system, 2002 saw two Noyce films released worldwide at almost the same time.

Der stille Amerikaner (2002) starred Michael Caine in an Academy nominated best actor performance and appeared on over 20 top ten lists for 2002, including the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute.

Long Walk Home (2002) was based on the true story of three Aboriginal girls abducted from their families by Australian authorities in 1931 as part of an official government policy. The film won Best Picture at the Australian Film Awards, and together with Der stille Amerikaner (2002) garnered Noyce numerous best director awards including National Board of Review in the US and UK’s London Film Critics Circle.

In 2006 and 2007 Focus Features/Universal released Noyce’s South African set thriller Catch a Fire (2006), starring Tim Robbins and Derek Luke. The film was named one of the top Independent Films of 2006 by the National Board of Review in the US. Noyce’s television credits include the Australian miniseries “The Dismissal” (1983) (mini), as well as _"Cowra Breakout" (1984) (mini) which he also co-wrote, and both produced by fellow director, George Miller. Noyce also directed the pilots for Fox’s “Tru Calling” (2003) and Showtime’s “Brotherhood” TV series, now shooting its third season. —IMDb

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