User Reviews

Another Country is a documentary that looks at the impact that the white man's culture has had on thousands of years of aboriginal culture. "Our culture doesn't fit your culture," says narrator David Gulpilil. The film is the result of a collaboration between filmmaker Rolf de Heer, his partner Molly Reynolds and Gulpilil himself, who have previously collaborated on the features Ten Canoes and Charlie's Country. Like Ivan Sen's fictional Toomelah, Another Country takes us inside an aboriginal community to witness their daily lives but gives us a first hand account of a lifestyle that is slowly being eradicated. The film has been shaped by Gulpilil's own observations of aboriginal life on the settlements and isolated communities established by the seemingly benevolent government. The sale of alcohol was banned, and all the residents were issued with food cards which could be used at the local supermarket. Gulpilil acts as the narrator and his dry, droll narration and rich, warm tones draw us into this deeply personal and reflective exploration of the consequences of the government's well-meaning policy of self-determination. His tone is informative rather than confronting and he tries to break down some cultural barriers between white culture and indigenous culture. Gulpilil slowly elucidates some of the problems facing these communities that have been established by white politicians who have little understanding of the their traditions or culture. Essentially a nomadic people who would hunt for food they have little use for houses, cars or even supermarkets to buy their food from. He also elaborates on the concept of obligation, in which if someone asks to borrow a car they cannot be refused. More often than not the car is returned broken and virtually unusable. Another Country takes audiences on an eye-opening journey through the small and remote community of Raminging, where he was raised. Raminging is situated some 400 kms from the nearest town and is accessible only by a dirt road that gets flooded our during rainy season. We get a potted history of the town, and we observe the inhabitants going about their lives and get a sense of their disrupted lifestyle and the rhythms of life in this remote community. The biggest worry is that the younger generation are losing touch with their history and centuries of tradition. There is one scene where a number of local youths perform a dance, but rather than the traditional music of their culture the background is hip hop music. But ultimately the film is optimistic in its outlook.