by Erin Free
Worth: $17.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Koalas and their carers
Intro:
A rousing, frequently eye-opening, and often infuriating call-to-arms...
Koalas are so distinctly, uniquely, proudly, obviously Australian, that it would just appear to be a given that we – as in, all of us, including the government and its various arms and bodies – would look after this vitally important native animal, and make sure that its future existence was insured. Well, no. Though for a nation that gleefully devours the animals that appear on its coat of arms, that should be no surprise. Also of no surprise should be that the Australian Government (whether Labor or Liberal) always seems to have a very cosy and mutually beneficial relationship with property developers, which they appear to now have actually turned into social consciousness by railing and screaming constantly about the “housing crisis” currently gripping the nation, which can apparently only be eased by the creation of more housing stock, even though there’s no infrastructure to support it and acres of natural environment have to be cleared to make way for it. Hmmmm, interesting…wonder who’s going to come out the winner in this scenario?
As well as just allowing avaricious property developers apparent free reign with the state and federal governments’ quashing of local council concerns and community engagement, increased development also means increased land-clearing, which is where one of our most cute and cuddly native species comes in. As elucidated so cleanly and effectively in the new documentary The Koalas, the mass clearing of land – along with vigorous environmental change, and an increase in natural hazards like bushfire and flood – is making life very, very tough for koalas. As their natural habitat is wiped out, koalas have to find other places to live, bringing them closer and closer to densely populated human areas, making them susceptible to disease and injury.
Directors Georgia Wallace-Crabbe & Gregory Miller (the talents behind the excellent 2018 doco Cultivating Murder, which examines the tragic murder of environment officer Glen Turner) take a compelling tour around the east coast of Australia, showcasing a number of different koalas, and the often-dire circumstances in which they now find themselves. Along with commentary from experts, The Koalas’ case studies paint a very dark picture for the future of Australia’s iconic eucalypt-munching marsupial. The film is far, however, from being a monumental bummer. There’s much light to be found in the volunteers and professionals who fight to save and protect our koalas, with their passion and enthusiasm nothing short of a salving tonic in amongst the bleakness. A rousing, frequently eye-opening, and often infuriating call-to-arms, The Koalas is a quietly powerful piece of cinematic environmentalism.
The Koalas is screening at Village Cinemas Albury, Geelong, Bendigo, Karingal, Knox, Morwell, Southland and Sunshine on 8 and 10 August, tix here. United Cinemas Blue Mountains (The Edge) on 8-11 August, tix here. Fays’ Twin Taree on 11 August, tix here; and Gympie Cinemas on 12 August, tix here.
