Rabbitproof Fence

Today I viewed the movie "Rabbitproof Fence" on IFC. It is a film set in Australia in the 1920's or 30's. During this time 'halfcast' children (half Aboriginal and half white) where put into 'Education' camps. This lasted until the 1970's. In Australia these children are called the "Lost Generation" because this treatment resulted in severe cultural confusion. The story is about three girls who were put into one of these camps. These children escaped from the camp and walked for 9 weeks back to their home in Jigalong, which is was on the other side of the continent. Stories about children displaced from their mothers are always emotional, which isn't usually the type of movie that I'm interested in. However, the acting of the children in this movie was really quite good. They portrayed a determination and poise that was refreshing in child actors. This was based on a book which was written by the daughter of one of the three girls (it was a true story). While stories based on true events usually portray the characters in overly heroic or evil lights, this one did not. Overall it was a very enjoyable film.