Some great Aussie movies
A curated collection of Australian films — from Indigenous stories and feminist pioneers to larrikin comedies and wartime epics — that will deepen any visitor’s understanding of Australian culture before they set foot in Coogee. (6 min read)
Australian films provide wonderful insight into culture, history and creativity. They give voice to Indigenous people, migrants and asylum seekers, the poor and women. They showcase national heroes and bring to life classic books and plays. There are no feature films about or set in Coogee.
Watching Aussie films is a great way to prepare for your trip to Coogee and when you get here we have a beautiful art-deco cinema within easy walk showing the latest art-house and popular movies.
I recommend the following films from my collection:
“The Australian Dream” (2019) – A documentary that uses the remarkable and inspirational story of Indigenous AFL (Australian Football League) legend Adam Goodes as the prism through which to tell a deep and powerful story about race, identity and belonging. Goodes is a cultural hero; the very epitome of resilience and survival who continues to fight for equality and reconciliation.
“Ride like a girl” (2019) – A biographical drama directed by Rachel Griffiths,
this film tells the true story of Michelle Payne. As the youngest of 10 children
raised on a farm, she overcomes 100-1 odds and a severe fall to become the first
female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
“Gurrumul” (2018) – Celebrated by audiences at home and abroad, Indigenous
artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was one of the most important and
acclaimed voices to ever come out of Australia. Blind from birth, he found
purpose and meaning through songs and music inspired by his community and
country on Echo Island in far North East Arnhem Land. An extraordinarily
moving and precious documentary.
“The Art of Australia” (2013) – A three part documentary presented by
Edmund Capon, the former director of the Art Gallery of NSW, this brilliant
series explains how art helped shape Australia. It interweaves the story of
British, European and Indigenous art traditions and explores how they reflected
the evolution of Australia’s culture over 200 years.
“Australia” (2008) – Directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Nicole Kidman
and Hugh Jackman, this is the largest film ever made in Australia. It is
unprecedented in scale and considered groundbreaking for its unique blending of
historical melodrama with indigenous spirituality. It aimed to redefine the
national mythos by combining a Hollywood-style “epic” with an honest, albeit
stylized, look at the Stolen Generations and the bombing of Darwin.
“Ten Canoes” (2006) – Described by Rolling Stone as “the most ground-
breaking Australian film made to date”, this film, co-directed by Rolf de Heer, is a
parable of forbidden love from Australia’s mythical past providing a glimpse into
Aboriginal life centuries before European settlement. It was the first feature film
to be spoken entirely in Australian Aboriginal languages.
“Ned Kelly” (2003) – Australian school children learn about the bushranger
Ned Kelly. Starring Heath Ledger, this film is considered a significant modern
interpretation of the legend, highlighting the themes of class struggle, police
brutality, and resistance against unfair, “stiff” British-backed authorities,
resonating with modern, anti-establishment, and anti-authoritarian sentiments.
The mixed response to the film, including challenges about accuracy, exposed
deeply held divisions about Australian history.
“Oscar and Lucinda” (1997) – Directed by Gillian Armstrong and based on
Peter Carey’s Booker Prize-winning novel, this film was ground-breaking in its
portrayal of 19th-century Australia, its elevated representation of a complex
female lead, and its unique visual storytelling. Full of wonderful performances
and breathtaking scenery.
“The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert” (1994) – A musical
comedy masterpiece set in the Australian outback, this film is considered a
landmark film for bringing queer, drag, and LGBTQ+ culture into the
mainstream globally.
“Gallipoli” (1981) – The first world war, and particularly the Gallipoli
campaign, are essential to understanding the formation of Australian national
identity. Directed by Peter Weir and starring a young Mel Gibson, this film also
emphasises the qualities of mateship and adventure that Australians value.
“Puberty Blues” (1981) – Directed by Bruce Beresford and based on the 1979
novel by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette, this challenging film depicts the
ugliness of working class teenage life and sexism on the beaches in Sydney’s
Sutherland Shire.
“My Brilliant Career” (1979) – Gillian Armstrong’s groundbreaking film
redefined Australian cinema, particularly through its feminist narrative, female-
driven production, and rejection of traditional romantic conventions. It is a
seminal work that brought 19th-century themes of independence to modern
audiences, establishing itself as a cornerstone of the Australian New Wave.
“They’re a weird mob” (1966) – Set in Sydney in 1965, this comedy illustrates
how a newly arrived Italian immigrant learns to become a fair dinkum Aussie.
Whether any of these films comes up over breakfast with Paul in Coogee depends entirely on you — but Australian cinema is one of his favourite topics if it interests you.
You might also like:
→ How would you describe Australia to a foreigner?
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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