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Men In Black 3

It’s not a sequel that needed to be made, but thanks to the charm of its leads and a tone that harks back to the wit and humour of the original, it’s a pretty enjoyable trip.

Bel Ami

The excellent female support cast saves this patchy effort, which is let down by its leading man and a flat screenplay.

The Dictator

A disappointing, often repulsive and mean-spirited mess of a film with seemingly only one real criterion on its agenda: to shock and offend.

The Woman In Black

Packed with atmosphere, this old-fashioned but deftly told ghost story delivers ample chills and thrills.

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Murundak: Songs Of Freedom (Film)

by Kate Dell’Aquila | April 11, 2011 15:09 | Edited April 11, 2011 15:10

Blending intimate interviews and concert footage, this powerful documentary will move you to tears and understanding.

From little things big things grow. In the opening scenes of murundak - Songs of Freedom, against a picturesque Australian sunset, Paul Kelly's famous lyrics are sung by the enchanting voice of Emma Donovan. It is in these first few moments that murundak - Songs of Freedom establishes its enduring theme: how individuals from humble beginnings can create great change.

 

murundak - Songs of Freedom follows The Black Arm Band, an Aboriginal protest group who tour Australia and Europe with their peaceful songs of freedom and resistance. From AFI nominated filmmakers Rhys Graham and Natasha Gadd (Words from the City), murundak - Songs of Freedom explores the history of the indigenous protest movement. With images of protests from the '70s and '80s and candid interviews with band members who have continued to struggle for reform, the film discovers how this group of musicians are using their songs to remind Australians that Aboriginal activism is still alive today.

 

As both the band and the filmmakers embarked on their Australian tour in 2006, cracks in the ten-year reign of the Howard Government began to appear, and within 18 months of the first concert, there was a change in power and a change in perspective. Then, in 2008, Kevin Rudd apologised to Indigenous people for the dark, bloodied and blemished chapter in Australia's history. The film provides a unique insight into the widespread impact of the apology on the Aboriginal community.

 

Bouncing from intimate interviews to vision of the concerts and the band's soulful protest tunes, it is hard not to be moved by this film. murundak - Songs of Freedom unapologetically pulls at the heartstrings and captures our attention, by allowing the artists to tell their stories and explain their songs, the film explores the essence of hope in Aboriginal culture. It is the band members' stories of survival, dislocation, and perseverance that drives this documentary.

 

The film, however, never hides The Black Arm Band's political position nor does it take away the intensity of the band's activism by showing the emotional side of their movement. Instead, murundak - Songs of Freedom gives hope, and leaves us with a sense that something has shifted in the Australian people. Australians have finally started to listen.