Watch Rabbit-Proof Fence

Rabbit-Proof Fence is a 2002 Australian film based on a true story that follows the journey of three young Aboriginal girls, Molly Craig (Everlyn Sampi), her younger sister Daisy (Tianna Sansbury), and their cousin Gracie (Laura Monaghan). The girls are members of the "stolen generation", a group of Indigenous Australian children who were forcibly removed from their families and sent to settlements to be assimilated into white society.

The film is set in Western Australia in the 1930s, when the government passed the Aborigines Act, which gave it the power to remove Aboriginal children from their families. The girls are taken from their home in Jigalong and sent to Moore River Native Settlement, hundreds of miles away from their families.

Molly, the eldest of the three, is determined to escape and return home. She hatches a plan to follow the rabbit-proof fence, a 1,500-mile fence that runs across the Western Australian outback, and use it as a guide to find their way back home. The girls embark on a dangerous journey across the harsh desert landscape, guided by their instincts and the ancient traditions of their people.

Their journey is not without danger, as they face hunger, thirst, and the threat of capture by white authorities. They encounter friendly strangers, who help them along the way, but they also face hostility and racism from some of the white settlers they meet on their journey.

The film is a powerful depiction of the resilience and strength of these young girls, who refuse to be broken by the system that seeks to erase their culture and identity. It highlights the injustice and trauma inflicted upon Indigenous Australians, and the lasting impact of the stolen generation on Aboriginal communities.

The performances in Rabbit-Proof Fence are outstanding, particularly from the young actresses who play the lead roles. Everlyn Sampi brings a fierce determination to her role as Molly, while Tianna Sansbury and Laura Monaghan bring a youthful innocence and vulnerability to their characters.

Kenneth Branagh also delivers a solid performance as the chief protector of Aborigines, A.O. Neville, who is responsible for implementing the policies that lead to the removal of Indigenous children from their families. He portrays Neville as a complex character, who genuinely believes he is acting in the best interests of the children, even as he enforces policies that are clearly harmful.

Director Phillip Noyce does an excellent job of capturing the beauty and brutality of the Western Australian landscape, and the cinematography by Christopher Doyle is stunning. The film blends archival footage with fictional reenactments, creating a powerful and authentic portrayal of this dark period in Australian history.

Overall, Rabbit-Proof Fence is a deeply moving and thought-provoking film that sheds light on an important chapter in Australia's past. It is a testament to the resilience and strength of Indigenous Australians, and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for justice and reconciliation.

Rabbit-Proof Fence is a 2002 adventure movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4 and a MetaScore of 80.