by Annette Basile
Worth: $15.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Julianna, Arthurina, Freda, Jessica
Intro:
If anything, Like My Brother illuminates the excitement of women’s football. Involving, moving and always interesting, it will have you barracking for these young players even if you couldn’t care less about AFL.
No interest in AFL is required to enjoy this documentary about four footy playing young First Nations women from the Tiwi Islands.
Six years in the making, it begins in 2018, following the women’s quest to go pro as part of AFLW. Arthurina (or Rina, who’s also an artist) and Julianna are both 18, while Freda’s 15 and Jess – a teacher’s aide who comes into the doco a little later – is 22.
There’s joy, obstacles, camaraderie, sadness and triumphs within their individual stories, which are superbly told. Like My Brother follows their journeys back and forth between the Islands and Melbourne as they train and seek selection. Juliana’s father Adam Kerinaiua played for the Brisbane Bears, but homesickness cut his AFL career short – and for all of these young players, the homesickness is palpable.
The co-directors – Sal Balharrie and Warumungu filmmaker Danielle MacLean – know how to tell a great story, quickly pulling you in by building a strong narrative. There’s also more than a dash of real suspense – will the young players make the big league?
Like My Brother looks great with the beauty of the Tiwi Islands playing its own part. No time is wasted on the kinds of filler scenes you sometimes see in documentaries – like the long stretches of people preparing meals, making small talk. The documentary also creates excitement around the games – you know there’s a lot at stake for these strong young women. They’re amazing.
The film doesn’t wade into political waters, the gender pay gap between men’s and women’s AFL is a shocker but not discussed. Nor is racism in AFL, which was exposed in all its hideousness during the latter days of Adam Goodes’ career.
Like My Brother has a different purpose, it celebrates First Australians’ culture and deep family bonds while maintaining a tight focus on telling the inspiring story of these individual women.
But there’s a surprising, unchecked soundbite fairly early on in the film, when coach Brendan Major comments about the media’s perception that women’s football is not as “entertaining” as men’s. “There’s some truth to that,” he adds before saying that the four Tiwi women could bring a “spark and level of excitement to female football in Victoria”.
His comments underline both the special style of play in the Tiwi Islands – a place where footy is a religion – and a stereotype. It’s an odd comment from someone who comes across in the film as devoted to coaching women in sport.
If anything, Like My Brother illuminates the excitement of women’s football. Involving, moving and always interesting, it will have you barracking for these young players even if you couldn’t care less about AFL.
