------ Forwarded Message From: WEBCENTRAL <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 09:57:14 +1100 To: "'[EMAIL PROTECTED]'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [atsic] Media Release: A healing film for all
Sunday, 17 February 2002 A healing film for all Territorians are being urged to go along and see the new Australian film, Rabbit Proof Fence, which premieres in Darwin tonight. The Chairperson of the Yilli Rreung Regional Council, Ms Barbara Cummings, says the film is an important means of explaining the history of the Stolen Generations. Ms Cummings was taken away and raised in Darwin's Retta Dixon home for 'half-caste' children. She is the author of the book, Take this Child, and a vocal advocate for the Stolen Generations. She attended a preview of the film this week. "This is not a bleeding heart depiction," Chairperson Cummings said. "This is a very powerful realistic film. It tells it how it happened. "I understand the Director, Phillip Noyce, has used some artistic license regarding Molly Kelly's story and included some elements that did not actually happen to her personally. "I don't see why some people have a problem with this. The film is based on undeniable fact - these things did happen to us. That's why I believe it is so important all Australians, especially our young people, go and see it. "This is our history. It's not about making people feel guilty for the past. It's about gaining a greater understanding of where we come from and the legacy these policies have left us with today." ATSIC Commissioner for NT Northern Zone, Mr Kim Hill, said he has been heartened by the public response to the movie as it opened nationally over the past week. "It's encouraging to see the amount of good will and interest this film has initiated in the wider community," Commissioner Hill said. "I strongly believe Australians are now more open to the stories of our Indigenous past, but we must also remember that we still live with the painful effects of these policies, especially the removal of part-Aboriginal children from their families. "These have been extensively detailed in the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody released eleven years ago, and more recently in the HREOC report Bringing Them Home. "I only hope the renewed public interest in the Stolen Generations generated by The Rabbit Proof Fence also acts as a prompt to Federal, State and Territory governments who have not yet fully committed to the implementation of recommendations from these two landmark reports. "Only then can we truly move forward as a mature nation, one that is prepared to confront its history and remedy the legacy of past injustice." ATSIC has been assisting Birch, Carroll and Coyle with tonight's Darwin premiere. This will include the presence of counsellors from the Danila Dilba Medical Service who will be on hand to assist those who may find the film's subject matter difficult to deal with. "It does bring up a lot of emotion and painful memories," Chairperson Cummings said. "But hopefully it will also assist with the healing process so necessary for us to get on with our lives." For further information: Francine Chinn 0419 819 025 ____________________________________ > You have subscribed to the ATSIC Mailing List, where you receive media > releases, speeches, bulletins and news about ATSIC. To unsubscribe from > this mailing list simply click on the link below: > > http://www.atsic.gov.au/media/email_service/default.asp > > ------ End of Forwarded Message --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/ until 11 March, 2001 and Recoznettwo is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznettwo%40green.net.au/ from that date. This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
