Utopia

The title UTOPIA is ironic, referring to a district of Australia set aside for the native Aboriginies that is anything but Utopian. John Pilger's documentary takes a long hard look at the ways in which the Aboriginies have been systematically abused by the white majority, who have not only taken their land, but subjected them to a series of indignities, whether physical, mental, or legislative. In many parts of the country they live in abject poverty, in communities redolent of nineteenth century England, with little prospect of improvement. Small children are often taken away from their families and made to assimilate into mainstream white culture. A succession of government policies have subjected them to heavy-handed police tactics, as well as being invaded by the Australian army. As with many of his films, Pilger's documentary is hard-hitting and opinionated, with the presenter-director asking the kind of questions of important politicians (e.g. former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd) that few of his contemporaries dare ask. In structural terms, however, the film becomes rather monotonous in terms of content - a bit of judicious pruning wouldn't have come amiss. But watchable nonetheless.

As an Australian, I fully acknowledge and support the content of this hard-to-watch documentary. This is not 'news' to anyone in Australia who watches our shameful history regarding indigenous peoples.

John Pilger is a highly acclaimed award winning Australian journalist who throughout his lifetime has contributed to humanity by calling the truth - http://johnpilger.com/biography.

One reviewer criticizes him for not having lived in Australia for decades. The truth is the truth, no matter where you live in our global village. I would like to correct some content in one of the reviews here, which is otherwise a very thoughtful and intelligent review. 'The first thing shown to you is a 70's era anchorman talking about the plan of sitting ministers to simply round up people for no reason, and move them away, then taint their drinking water to sterilize them in a "Humane" manner'. This man was not an anchorman. At that time, he was by far the richest 'self-made' man in Australia. His name is Lang Hancock, a Western Australian iron-ore mining magnate (1909-1992). His daughter, Gina Reinhart (1954-present), is heir to his fortune and is one of the four richest women in the world. As an Australian I am utterly ashamed and disgusted by Hancock's sickening view and he did not speak back then for all Australians, although many Australians still wish the 'aboriginal problem' would 'just go away'!

Another reviewer suggests that Pilger's report is biased and one-sided. Of course, we do not need to 'fix what is not broken' so Pilger's film explores the underbelly of racism and genocide...... the 'positive' things can readily be found if one cares to look.

Journalists such as Pilger shine the light in the darkest of places across the world - where most don't dare go. He is not frightened by power and people often, if indeed they even bother to access such documentaries, feel very uncomfortable and challenged about their own view of our world. This then, surely, is a vehicle for inspection and change.

The treatment of Australian aborigines was indeed shocking but this film is so biased, one-sided and dishonest that it does not help their cause one bit. Pilger ignores the fact that since the late 1960's (at least) successive governments have made strenuous efforts to make reparations. He blames the mining industry but some Aboriginal groups get a substantial income out of leasing land to mining companies and that the mining companies do employ Aboriginals. There are some successful Aboriginals. Pilger does not interview a single one. Why not? Pilger ignores the terrible problems caused by drink and levels of violence. It is worth noting that Pilger has not lived in Australia for decades but prefers to fly in every so often, criticise the country of his birth and then fly out again.

I often watch documentaries about America that criticise either the nation's history, or its conduct in contemporary times, and think to myself: 'yeah, I'm glad I'm in Australia where we're not like that.' And then I see a documentary like this one and I'm reminded that we're just as capable of doing horrible, racist things, and my heart sinks.

Haven't celebrated Australia Day for a couple of years now, but if I was a fan, this documentary would have convinced me it's not really a day we should "celebrate" exactly at all. As a (very white) West Australian who's enjoyed Rottnest Island, and has even stayed in one of those rooms they covered in this documentary: yeah, I felt incredibly bad and ignorant. I'd even looked at that courtyard and thought about how it looked like a prison courtyard, but I'd never thought about how current day Indigenous people would feel about it still existing as a hotel.

At first I was mortified about the documentary trying to "ruin" Rottnest, the same way that father and his kids just ran away from Pilger when he was interviewing people about the Aboriginal stance on Australia Day on Australia Day... but yeah, in my case (and I hope his case), it was a gut instinct. Within a few minutes of reflection, I came round on the idea, and was forced to confront how I should have known, or had more empathy, and that the concerns of the Indigenous population weren't ones that should just be tossed aside; out of mind.

Also for some Australian perspective: I only learnt who John Pilger was a couple of months ago. I've been living here ever since I was born 25 years ago, and I don't know how this man and his work have been unknown to me for so long. Almost makes me want to get a little conspiratorial, because he does go after corporations, governments, and huge media institutions quite ruthlessly.

I studied media in highschool, and communications and media for much of my university education... yet he was never really covered or talked about. He's the ideal of what a journalist should be, sort of like our Louis Theroux. He should be more widely known among people my age. I know personally, I would have been more open to pursuing journalism at university had I been more aware that you could be a journalist without being unethical.

Oh well, better late than never. If you're a non-Indigenous Australian, this will make you uncomfortable, but it's making you uncomfortable for a good reason. Sit with it, think about things, and in time, hopefully your attitude and actions will change. I certainly hope this will happen with me.

This is the first review I have ever written. Like with a lot of movies that move me, I go back to IMDb after its over, and think of writing a review. And then I think pff it's late, it'll take too long. I'm tired. etc.

but when i fell upon a couple negative reviews after watching this film, thought i'd try and set the record straight.

This is a very good documentary. not because of how it's filmed, or edited or whatever, it's simply about the subject. It's deep. It's moving. And once it's over, it sticks with you for a while. You know that effect, like your left in some aftermath of a shocking event.

The negative reviews say its one-sided. A lot of documentary's are biased anyway, when you think about it, just trying their best to get their point across. And if this one is, it doesn't matter 'cos we clearly don't hear enough about the sufferings and struggles of the aboriginal community, and you can't deny them. Maybe the Australian "white man" was demonised, maybe things were slightly inflated to fit the purpose. Don't care. You need to hear this stuff. Everyone needs to hear this stuff. Take it with a pinch of salt if you want, but watch it.

ps just read Jesse Boland's review (above). way better than mines and on point.