Cirrus@Austlit

'In surveying Australian feature film production over the last 100 years, what clearly emerges is a general avoidance of Aboriginal issues and a lack of any balanced representation of Australia’s significant Indigenous population; at least that was the case until recently. Over 1,000 feature films have been produced in Australia, yet I could only identify around fifty films that represent Aborigines in any way at all within the narrative. I need to add, before I present this brief overview, that things are changing, with a number of films recently seeking to redress this imbalance and provide substantial Indigenous storylines. However when we look at the New Zealand film industry, with a number of its most successful films specifically addressing Maori culture and politics—such as Whale Rider and Once Were Warriors—it would seem important to ask the question, when will the Australian film industry explore Indigenous issues in more depth and with greater cultural resonance?'

Source: Opening paragraph.