Australia Cinema-In what ways do they connect with or subvert concepts of national cinema?

Topic 

Australia Cinema-In what ways do they connect with or subvert concepts of national cinema?

Instructions 

Australian cinema is caught in a bind of wanting to appeal to national audiences, but also to not
exclude international markets. In relation to two films of your choice, how has the industry in
your opinion succeeded – or failed – to cater to these divergent audiences?

Answer Preview 

Perhaps there is no standalone term or phrase for defining the Australian national cinema. This is so primarily because film production has always been a complex affair, as it often includes persons, and elements from multivariate dimensions and the global sphere (Martin, 2010). In this regard, defining the Australian national cinema, and what films belong to the genre and not in any other genre is expectedly problematic.  On the one hand, the Australian cinema may be defined as films that are produced by Australian filmmaking companies, and shot in Australia (Moran & Errol, 2006). Another important factor is financing. If the film is financed by an Australian company, or subsidized by the Australian government, it is more likely to gain a national identity and general acceptance from members of the Australian public (Moran & Errol, 2006). The location, setting, and cultural content in a movie may also be used to define a film as having an Australian national identity, or otherwise (O’Regan, 1989). To this end, a film that is acted and produced by non-Australian personnel and companies, but which contains heavy elements of the Australian culture, national ethos and values, and socio-economic issues, for example, may be adopted and accepted as a part of the Australian national cinema. To this end, movies whose main story and plot reflect the Australian culture may be argued to make up the Australian cinema (Collins, 1997).

Word Count: 3800