Introducing.....The Sapphires

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The Sapphires is the story, loosely based on a real event, about four Aboriginal women who form a soul-group in the late 60's and tour Vietnam. Boy, it's a real feel good story and if you like good music and good characters, you will love this film. First, the cinematography pulls you in before you have a chance to get comfortable. It's a real reminder why I love Australian cinema so very much. Why all those painters migrated to Paris for light is the fell you get watching an Aussie film. That bright yellow glow consumes you and washes over you right from the start. Nothing is quite as beautiful to me as a well shot Australian film. It gets me every time.

The young girls are introduced running through fields of yellow flowers as we are reminded of the atrocities that went on against the Aborigines, not only massacres and disease, but the kidnapping of light-skinned youth. As the indigenous Australians were robbed by Australian law of their humanity, classified as non-people, but wildlife, 'flora and fauna.' The lighter skinned children were removed from their heritage and parents and taken into white gentrified communities and taught 'white ways.'

The Sapphires takes on this barbaric action with the story of Kay (Shari Sebbins), who was kidnapped at an early age. Gail, Julie and Cynthia are played by Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy and Miranda Tapsell with talent scout, Dave (Chris O'Dowd). Good Morning Vietnam meets The Commitments, The Sapphires plays on conventional story lines, but takes it to another level. Like Dave explains to the girls whose first song is Merle Haggard's "Today I Started Loving You Again" country music is for people that got fucked over and stayed home to cry in their beer over it, but soul music is for those who got fucked over and refuse to give up.

The music in the show does what it does in real life, brings people together. So many great scenes that make you feel good during a bad time. That's why I'm watching all these Australian movies and series. They make me feel real good. A bunch of Fuck You I'm From Austin Film Talk ovations for this one, The Sapphires.


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