Worth: $16.50
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Cast:
Brenda Matthews, Mark Matthews, Mac Ockers, Connie Ockers, Nana Brenda
Intro:
… an affecting experience that is hard to forget.
Comprehending the devastation surrounding the Stolen Generation and the lasting impact it has had on its victims is a daunting task. Inaccuracies in official documentation, made even more complicated by a historical lack of accountability by our government, make the subject almost impossible to fully understand.
That is why The Last Daughter has a lasting impact.
The documentary doesn’t aim to educate the audience on the logistical and ethical complexities behind the government’s wrongdoings, but rather, asks that you simply listen and understand the story of a victim. In doing so, we are left with a far greater understanding of the human capacity to survive and thrive.
The Last Daughter tells the story of Brenda Matthews, who was stolen from her family at the age of 2 and placed with a white family, who become the subjects of her earliest memories.
After her biological mother succeeds in her battle to regain custody of her children, Matthews is returned home, leaving her with tangled feelings of love for her birth family and yearning for the memories of warmth from her adopted family.
The film recounts Matthews’ life story through well-preserved archival footage and scene recreations while interlacing with the present day, as the two families walk down a converging path that leads to a powerful final sequence as the parents meet.
This final act speaks volumes to a subject that is so ethically thorny. By simply witnessing the meeting of both ‘sides’, you realise that despite a government’s best effort to create a divide, love exists in all places.
Co-directed by Nathaniel Schmidt and Matthews herself, The Last Daughter is by no means a showy film; perhaps because even a hint of cinematic trickery would have taken away from the incredibly evocative story.
By taking the brave step of bringing Matthews into the creative decision-making process, the team behind the film prove the importance of sensitivity and sympathy regarding biographical storytelling.
As a result, The Last Daughter is immeasurably better off, as Schmidt’s filmmaking talent and the sheer power in Matthews’ life story create an affecting experience that is hard to forget.
