365 Days. 365 Films.

Kenneth Branagh stars as A. O. Neville, the man in charge of taking half-caste Aborigines from their homes and transporting them to a camp where they will be trained as housekeeping staff. Based on a true story, when three young girls are taken away to the camp, they decide to escape and trek the 1500 miles home to their parents.

This is a truly compelling story and although I watched it by accident (I thought it was the film Rabbit Hole) I did really enjoy it. This is a feel good film, although it doesn’t feel like it at first, and it’s a justly intelligent film too. The cinematography is awe-inspiring, which it should be given their platform, and the acting from the three young girls is brilliant too. These two things are what really stood out for me, but what let me down slightly was the fact that it was only 90 minutes long – usually this is the perfect length of a film for me, but I was so intrigued by this true story that I wanted more by the end.

I cannot recommend this film highly enough, it is a fine example of Australian cinema and a fine example of how movies should sound, look and feel too… And how I love Kenneth Branagh!