Camera Angles
This type of camera shot is used to show the vast Australian outback and emphasizes the girls' isolation.
What is a wide shot (or establishing shot)?
The natural sunlight used in the desert scenes represents this.
What is realism or authenticity?
The girls’ traditional clothing at the start of the film is an example of this element of mise-en-scène
What is costume?
This theme is central to the girls’ journey home.
What is perseverance or survival?
She is the eldest sister who leads the journey home.
Who is Molly?
This angle is used when showing the girls looking up at authority figures, emphasising power dynamics.
What is a low-angle shot?
Dim or shadowed lighting in the Moore River settlement reflects this mood.
What is oppression or fear?
This element of mise-en-scène helps reinforce the cultural identity of the Aboriginal people.
What is setting or props?
The fence in the film is a powerful symbol of this.
What is division or colonial control?
This character is a tracker sent to find the girls.
Who is Moodoo?
The use of this angle during the chase scenes helps create tension and urgency.
What is a handheld or tracking shot?
This lighting contrast is used to show the difference between the freedom of the outback and the confinement of the settlement.
What is high key vs. low key lighting?
The stark fences and barren landscapes symbolize this aspect of the story.
What is control or colonisation?
This theme is explored through the government's removal of children from their families.
What is cultural genocide or stolen generations?
He is the official who orders the removal of the children.
Who is A.O. Neville?
The director often uses this type of shot to bring the audience closer to the girls’ emotional experience
What is a close-up?
The lighting in the family’s homeland at the start is warm, suggesting this.
What is comfort and safety?
Mise-en-scène in the Moore River scenes is deliberately organised to reflect this feeling.
What is imprisonment or institutionalisation?
The strong bond between the girls highlights this theme.
What is family or sisterhood?
These two girls accompany Molly on the escape.
Who are Daisy and Gracie?
This unusual angle is sometimes used to show the world from the girls’ point of view, disorienting the audience.
What is a point-of-view (POV) shot?
The strategic use of silhouetted figures in certain scenes adds this symbolic element.
What is mystery, danger, or dehumanisation?
The juxtaposition of natural vs. man-made elements in scenes contributes to this central conflict.
What is nature vs. civilization (or Indigenous vs. colonial society)?
The film critiques this overarching system through its narrative and style.
What is institutional racism or colonialism?
Though working for the government, this character shows signs of inner conflict.
Who is Moodoo?