(under)current of Wik debate in the AFI awards

Australian film industry's most important event of the year, the 1997 Australian Film Institute Awards, was held on 14 November. The awards for best film went to "Kiss or Kill", the best male actor Ricard Roxburg for "Doing Time for Patsy Cline" and best female actor was Pamela Rabe for "The Well".

But the ceremony's attentions and controversies went to "Mabo: Life of an Island Man", which won the Film Australia award for best documentary, accompanied with acts of many presenters and guests publicly opposing the Federal Government's native title amendments during the night. The Federal Government, on the other hand, backfires as accusing the art community for having politicised the Wik debate, presuming to be the voice of the conscience of the Australian people.

ARTS alive presents the live recording of the best documentary award announcement, which exemplifies the crowd's feelings on the night. (Note: weblink updated)

artsalive | current | a week ago | two weeks | three weeks | email
search | programs archive | film reviews | cue sheets archive