Sorry Proof Country - Part 3 of 3

I wrote and directed this documentary in 2003 as part of a now defunct company, to highlight the history of "Sorry Day" in Australia amid growing frustrations within Australia's Indigenous Communities, especially in relation to our nation's treatment of the "Stolen Generations" and reluctance to officially apologise for the hurt caused by past policies. Many bodies supported this production with generous permission to use historical footage and snippets from the feature film, Rabbit Proof Fence. The documentary runs 22 minutes and has been split into 3 sections for YouTube.
Part One covers a lot of the background, Part Two covers the tensions in Parliament, Part Three covers the hope of the community for finding a way forward. That way forward was found on February 13, 2008, when Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, made an official apology in Federal Parliament. The transcript of Kevin Rudd's speech can be found at http://www.aph.gov.au/house/Rudd_Speech.pdf

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• sorry
• stolen
• aborigines
• australian
• apology
• generation
• indigenous

[DirectorSteve]

Thank you all for your comments. Believe me, making this documentary was quite an education - emotionally gruelling and yet the cooperation we received from Channel Seven, ATSIC and the people behind Rabbit Proof Fence just shows that people involved in projects around this topic, even if they are just doing their jobs, are moved to go beyond the call of duty to ensure the content/story is captured and broadcast. Thanks again, with special thanks to limttoom for comments across all 3 episodes.

[WindyMelly]

Dude, what makes you think that the lifestyle and the parenting skills of the Aborigines weren't acceptable. You're taking on such a eurocentric view where you believe that modernization and advancement is the only way to go. The Aborigines were dying and in poor health, because of European contact with diseases their immune systems weren't familiar with. The Aborigines were prosperous and respected the earth until the Europeans stole their culture and conquered their land!

[themainthing1974]

I think it's very encouraging that many white Australians are aware of this aspect of their history and its impact.

[IAMSatisfied]

I appreciate the gesture conveyed in this video, but I truly must wonder what an Iraqi would feel about the sincerity of all of the apologies. "Sorry" really doesn't mean anything if the perpetrator is still committing the same crimes. The spirit motivating the Australian populace doesn't seem to have changed, although the target group of "those who must be helped" has. It's like a man who apologizes to his wife for beating her 20 years ago while presently committing serial rape.

[JonnyBoy723]

why is it that the white race always feel threatend?? They always want to exterminate others who are different. That is trully demonic and evil. I'm not saying all whites are devils but thats just not right. maybe there the ones who should be mistreated for a while and maybe whites wont be so evil. Why cant we all just get along? Why is that so hard?? we need to love each others as humans and nothing else...peace and love to my fellow humans...

[LadyLibraNMore]

That's what a wife beater says to his wife & children: "I bloodied your noses & broke your bones for your own good"...when the reality is that he's more dependent upon them than they will ever be on him, he knows it and is afraid of the time when the wife is fed up, will leave, take the children, & find another husband. Likewise, you won't know what to do when the world no longer benefits you.

[karr1111]

The Aborigines did suffer alot you should know that. I am not from Australia and even I know that they suffered. Read Australian history and learn more about the Aborigines.

[bcha7650]

This video really sheds some light on the reality of the stolen generation. It brought alot of emotions, both sadness and anger towards the ignorant government at the time.

[probashiami]

Thanks for making this video. It brought tears in my heart, anger in my herat adn couln't beleive this has taken so many years to say SORRY.

Martin