Australian High School Assesments

Year 11 English - Australian Film Industry Speech

Good Morning/afternoon ladies and gentlemen. The Australian film industrys drop in success since the 1920s is a subject of concern that I would like to shed some light on and discuss the relevance of Australian films. Though the large majority of Australian films released in almost a century arent highly regarded by audiences (with a few exceptions such as Crocodile Dundee) there are many examples of valid literary texts and cultural artefacts produced within this time period which should be valued and respected as pieces of our national history.

The Australian film industry began successfully enough with our first feature film The Story of the Kelly Gang until 1912 when the bushranger film genre was banned by the South Australian, New South Wales and Victorian governments. This marked the drop in success for the Australian film industry that continued into the 1920s. At this time Hollywood was flourishing and making their way to the golden age of 1930. This caused what could have been a minor setback to make a serious impact on the Australian film industry, since then we have struggled to catch up to what other countries have achieved in film. The phrase cultural cringe was used to explain why not many Australian citizens were watching Australian films. Many Australians felt and still feel that the Australian film industry does not reach the standards of other countries. In Australias early years, filmmakers were compelled to delve into the Australian identity which in turn was at times seen as repetitive and boring. Films such as Australia and Crocodile Dundee that focus on the outback stereotype can be alienating to Australians from cities and highly populated areas that are not represented in these movies. Some believe the disconnect between Australian films and their audiences is due to the lack of variety in genre or that Australias film makers are too focused on the past and are not creating anything modern and engaging for younger audiences.

The 2011 film Red Dog was an extremely successful film and is viewed as a valid literary text and cultural artefact, it is informative and shows Australian history in a slightly comical yet dramatic context. Set in the town known as Dampier back in 1971 the heart-wrenching film showed the backstory of the most famous dog in Australia and why he travelled all over the hot dry lands for many years. The film was full of tough, hardworking miners with poor hygiene choices showing that Australian males are strong independent men. The film showed the humid conditions of the Australian outback. It is imperative to support films such as Red Dog to regain a status as a relevant film industry. A national film industry is immensely important to defining a societys cultural identity and there is no doubt that Australia suffers as a nation as a result of the current state of its film industry.

Australian films are valuable and valid literary texts and cultural Artefacts, this can be observed in movies such as Oddball, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Rabbit Proof Fence and Babe all of which are prime examples. From tales of heroic animals to cultural discrimination, these films all have a story to tell, a story that deserves recognition. Films such as these are important within the Australian community, they are a way for Australians to learn about their countrys rich history and develop a better understanding on what it means to be Australian.

Popularity is not the mark of a good film, there are many gems in Australias film history that should be given more attention and not discounted by the general assumption that all Australian films are below average. There is no way for us to progress in this field if we dont look past the stigma and cultural cringe to build our film industry into something to be proud of as a nation. No matter the genre, Australian films deserve to be appreciated by viewers and critics alike.

Grade recieved: C