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‘Grunts and gestures’ slur on a major film
• WILLIAM Hall’s negative review of Rolf de Heer’s film Ten Canoes misrepresents both what an entertaining and important film this is (Tribal grunts and gestures, June 1).
Far from “climbing on the bandwagon” of ancient history films by Mel Gibson, Rolf de Heer spent years developing Ten Canoes in close collaboration with the Yolgnu people of Arnhem Land, Australia.
It is as much, if not more, their film as de Heer’s. In fact, it is the first cinematic representation by Aboriginal people of the way Dreaming stories were (and are) used to convey complex messages about ethical behaviour.
The main character, Dayindi (played by Jamie Gulpilil), lives some 800 years before the British invasion of Aboriginal country and in the film he is told an older story yet, one set in the Dreamtime, one that teaches the young man lessons relevant to his historical present (and to ours). The film is narrated in English by Jamie Gulpil’s father, legendary actor David Gulpilil, and is very funny as well as interesting for the insights it affords into the Yolgnu way of life.
I am pleased William Hall noted the beauty of the film’s photography, sorry for the inaccuracies in his review, disappointed he found the lucid plot confusing, and appalled he characterised it as “filled with grunts and gestures”.
Ten Canoes demands of its audience only willingness to be entertained and initiated into indigenous Australian forms of storytelling. I wholeheartedly agree with those who have characterised it as the most important film ever made in Australia. It is also an extremely enjoyable film.
IAN HENDERSON
Offord Road, N1 |
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