This is an intriguing documentary. The structure is quite unusual. We begin with the director, Peter Weir, introducing his own short satire about a large public housing project on the outskirts of Sydney, to a group of the residents. His short presents the many problems the project faces, with limited services having been provided and thus, limited opportunities for the population. He then introduces a series of short docos directed by different local residents, who provide personal insights into life in the 'valley'. Allowing people to tell their own stories in this way, gives the film a sense of authenticity and limits the often intrusive 'voice' of the filmmaker, that can hamper some docos.
This all works on two levels. On the one hand, it is a fascinating document of suburban life in 1970s Australia. The architecture, the clothing, the vernacular are all very of their time, making the film a useful 'time capsule'. However, the issues raised, about how governments/society attempts to 'engineer' life for poor/working class people, remain deeply relevant. The aspirations and frustrations of the people feel very universal, which allows the film to remain relatable. It's also quite self-reflective, in its assessment of the 'media' coverage of the 'valley' (mostly negative) and allowing the residents to comment on the film itself.
Reminiscent of Michael Apted's 'Up' series, or Gillian Armstrong's 'Smokes and Lollies' (and it's sequels), this is documentary as a direct social assessment. Not on the scale of those projects, this is still a worthwhile film, that deserve more recognition.
