Charlie's Country

source: Charlie's Country

The events in this story are simple events. It would have been more impressive if there had been bigger crimes and events in the story. We need more Aboriginal content.

Rolf de Heer, director of this film, has a real connection with Australian Aborigines and the really challenging circumstances they find themselves in. David Gulpilil, one of Australia's leading Aboriginal actors, was in the dance troupe that entertained Queen Elizabeth II when she opened the Sydney Opera House in 1973. But now, in this semi-biographical film, back in his country of Arnhem Land in the eastern Northern Territory, he's finding it really hard to fit in. No matter what he does, it isn't right. White man junk food: no good. Going bush to go hunting with a gun: illegal. Make a traditional hunting spear: illegal too – a dangerous weapon. Help the police track criminals: promises go unfulfilled. Doing the best you can for your family: unappreciated, at best. So Charlie heads off and goes bush. And there the challenges continue to pile up. It's an incredibly insightful yet accessible examination of what has proved an insoluble problem for Australia for decades. Pretty much since the British settlers arrived here in the late 18th century and declared that the land was unoccupied (known as Terra Nullius) this situation was set up. Around a third of the film is in native language with subtitles (possibly David's own Yolngu tongue) and this adds to the convincingness of this film. And it has some really funny moments that add to approachability. As a descendant of the British settlers of this country, I have little ideas about what should be done to help the original human inhabitants of our country effectively. What we've been doing isn't working. This film points to the multi-faceted, multi-dimensional problems, but it doesn't find answers either. Maybe there aren't any, except time. Long time - generations. Anthropologists say Australian Aborigines have been here for at least 40,000 years, maybe up to 60,000. Imposing most of western civilisation's development onto an incredibly long lived culture in less than 200 years has obvious challenges. I think this film gives an authentic insight into the issues, and highlights that broadly workable solutions have yet to be found, in a genuinely entertaining way.

Albeit I am bias toward Australian tales of it's indigenous mob. This move is a very well done story of an Aboriginal mans trials and tribulations of life in a white mans world. Well worth the watch!

CHARLIE'S COUNTRY is a well made piece of social drama from Australia. The concept of the film is to explore race relations between white Australians and the Aborigines, and it's not a very happy story; as expected, racism and the general treatment of Aborigines as second-class citizens has led to poverty and hopelessness on a massive scale. I enjoyed the way that these themes played second fiddle to what is essentially a character-focused drama telling of one old-timer's efforts to get by. I was absolutely delighted when I found out this film's protagonist was played by none other than David Gulpilil, who I've loved ever since I saw his debut feature, WALKABOUT. Gulpilil is typically excellent here, bringing his world-weary character to life with an unheralded realism; he's lived this situation, you can see it in his eyes. CHARLIE'S COUNTRY is a slow film, ponderous in places, but the quality of the direction and the naturalism of the acting is what sees it through.

Director Rolf de Heer who also created another classic aboriginal cultural issues flick, Ten Canoes 2006 plus other classic flicks, Bad Boy Bubby 1993 and Dance Me to My Song 1998 has created another gem in Charlie's Country. Starring David Gulpilil who has been in other classic aboriginal cultural issues flicks, Walkabout 1971, Rabbit-Proof Fence 2002 and Dead Heart 1996 and other classic flicks, Mad Dog Morgan 1976, The Right Stuff 1983, Dark Age 1987 and The Proposition 2005. Also starring Luke Ford who has been in other classic television series, Bikie Wars: Brothers in Arms 2012 and a series of Underbelly 2008-2013. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of day to day life. If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic aboriginal cultural issues flicks, Mad Bastards 2010, Mystery Road 2013, Sweet Country 2017 and Toomelah 2011.

We the whites will never understand all that we put the blackfellow through.

Not bad but Charlie's angels has wayyyyt more punching and kicking people.

I was captivated by this film from the moment I saw the trailer and after seeing it in the cinema today I walked away unable to think of anything other than what I just saw. This should become an Australian classic in it's approach to what has been seen many times before in Australian cinema. Charlie's Country is a single perspective (as the title hints) that doesn't force anything but rather let's you see life from the perspective of a complicated human who is idealistic yet vulnerable. This handled with precision from it's lead. David Gulpilil's performance in this film will hold you from beginning until the end. His portrayal of Charlie gives important insight to the issues facing the indigenous people who have lived on the land for centuries. Rolf de Heer has chosen to simply capture a character and never sways from his perspective, he unfolds the film in impeccable timing. You can feel the passion for the project through the lens. This role was obviously crafted for Gulpilil (he co-wrote it with de Heer) and this is definitely his career highlight. The camera often holds on his eyes and he has a way of portraying his character just through looks and reactions that never feel contrived or forced. Ian Jones' cinematography with it's careful yet raw tracking shots follow Charlie as he goes about his business, really pulls you in while remaining true to the sometimes harsh landscapes and living conditions. There is a temptation for film makers and cinematographers to oversaturate the landscape or make it look overly bleak and this is handled with utmost care and craftsmanship here. The score by Graham Tardif is minimal and serves the story well, the piano motif's are used in key moments but ultimately represent Charlie's soul. I find that many film makers in Australia often use sound as an afterthought but is used in a very clever way in several scenes, holding the frame and allowing you to simply hear what is going on. It is great to see some fine supporting talent in the likes of Luke Ford, Gary Sweet, Peter Djigirr, Bojana Novakovic and Dan Wyllie. They help lift the film in it's moments of humour and moments of despair, counterbalancing Gulpilil's performance with perfection in casting choice. This is essential viewing for lovers of Australian cinema, and hopefully garners many awards come Australian and International award season. The Cannes Un Certain Regard best actor award was very deserved for Mr Gulpilil.

Dutch Australian film director Rolf de Heer take a look of the years running problems of Aboriginal Australians in his last movie Charlie's Country which is shown in many festivals around world. We see the problems caused by two sides from the eyes of an old and stubborn member of Aborigins, Charlie who feels like a outlander on his own lands. Charlie can't accept being assimilated or living like how white Australians impose with the help of his stubborn and shrewd character. With the stunning performance of David Gulpilil Charlie represents all his nation with his riots, outcries, falls and obedience. He makes same mistakes that his nation did but also resists to forget his roots deep in the lands. He is driven away from his village to wild, from there to the big cities and it's crowd and chaos. It takes time for him to accept that this land is same land he loves with every living on it even it has changed. Director's style resembles our Cannes awarded director Nuri Bilge Ceylan with long cuts and silent scenes. Showing same scenes in different spirits and witnessing alteration of Charlie in these scenes can be boring. And yet this style of filming helps a lot to feel the characters and their states better and deeper. Audiences feel all strugglings of all Aborigins from the eyes of Charlie. Fortunately de Heer was in theater for answering questions of us. His care to Aborigins impressed me and hearing all questions about Aborigins proved that he did really good job in his movie with making a difference for Indigenous Australians in the eyes of everyone who watched the movie. That means shooting the target you aimed. I hope it will not take centuries to solve all issues in Australia as he said.