Mabo

Directed by Rachel Perkins, Mabo, takes viewers through the life of a Meriam man, Eddie Koiki Mabo. The audience is taken through Mabo’s life as he battles with discrimination, segregation, injustice and his identity. Mabo’s determination and tenacity is also seen as he contests the claims of terra nullius and land ownership rights in the high court. The viewers of this film see firsthand the dehumanising, unfair, and degrading treatment which the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander community was and subjected to. As Mabo overcomes oppression and racism, to attain the rights to which he and the rest of the aboriginal community was entitled, viewers see the misfortunes innocent people have to go to in order to be treated equally. They also …show more content…
Throughout the movie, the audience see the use of original excerpts from news segments and also comments from the then Price Minister, Paul Keating. The use of archival footage throughout Mabo’s battle, convey to the audience the authenticity of this movie. In portraying a slice of our national history, and the audience begin to grasp full weight of injustice taking place, as Mabo seeks fights to secure ownership of his land. In the opening scene of the movie, Perkins utilises a series of long shots with high and low camera angles paired with upbeat, vibrant music of the native islanders, contextualising the setting of Murray Island, Mabo’s birthplace. It shows the magnificence of the natural environment. In addition to showcasing the majestic landscape, the high camera angles foreshadow the significance of the land to the islanders’ lives but also the significance of it to the context of the movie as well …show more content…
This alludes to the audience that Killoran’s intentions towards Mabo may not be completely honest. The cloud of cigarette smoke in front of Killoran show the viewers of the corruption and opacity of the Australian government in their dealings with the Indigenous people. The smoke coupled with the foreboding music further convey the toxicity of Killoran’s presence on the island. These elements all bring the viewers’ attention to the unfair, dishonest dealings of the government with the indigenous people. Viewers also see Mabo’s internal struggle with his identity various times throughout the film, however the most poignant depiction of this conflict is when he was walking along the trail way. Viewers see that he is torn between his desire to return to Murray Island and the appeal of the new opportunities in the mainland, especially the allure of a potential life with Bonita. The high camera angle as he nostalgically dances his traditional dance, strongly evocative of his connection to his roots and also the contrast between his old and new life. As he sings his ritual song, viewers feel the depth of his emotional association with his ancestry and native land. They also see the anguish brought on by not being able to return to his birth place. The backlight which creates an aura of light behind him as he dances, foreshadow that his