The Big Picture

Rabbit-Proof Fence
returns to US theaters, telling the true story of three girls’ harrowing escape and journey.
The film captures a dark moment in Australian history known as the Stolen Generations, highlighting family, faith, and survival.
Director Phillip Noyce’s acclaimed work alongside a talented cast brings this powerful story to life on the big screen.

Australian filmmaker Phillip Noyce’s acclaimed survival dram film Rabbit-Proof Fence is returning to US theatres, Deadline reports. The movie based on the book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara is loosely based on the author’s mother and her sisters’ experiences as young children living in Australia in the 1930s.

The movie tells the true story of three mixed-race Aboriginal girls, Molly, her sister Daisy, and their cousin Gracie, who after being forcibly removed from their mothers, escapes from a government reeducation camp. We follow them on a harrowing journey as they walk for nine weeks along 1,500 miles of the Australian rabbit-proof fence to return to their community at Jigalong, to return to their families all the while getting chased by white law enforcement authorities and an Aboriginal tracker.

The feature captures a dark moment in Australian history now referred to as the Stolen Generations. It emphasizes the official Aboriginal child removal policy that existed in Australia between approximately 1905 and 1967. Along with the themes of Aboriginal culture, and the stolen generation, the movie also addresses the importance of family, faith, and survival.

The Cast and Crew Behind ‘Rabbit-Proof Fence’

Noyce, who presided over the remastered cut of the movie, is well known for his diverse body of work including Newsfront, The Quiet American, The Bone Collector, and Blind Fury among others. He directs from a screenplay adapted by Christine Olsen. Hailing from Noyce, Rabbit-Proof Fence was widely acclaimed by audiences and critics and grossed $16.2 million worldwide. It has a rating of 87 percent on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. With a newly remastered cut, it’ll be a brilliant opportunity to see the movie on the big screen.

The movie cast some compelling performances from Everlyn Sampi as Molly Craig, Tianna Sansbury as Daisy Craig Kadibil, Laura Monaghan as Gracie Fields, David Gulpilil as Moodoo the Tracker, Jason Clarke as Constable Riggs and Kenneth Branagh as A. O. Neville. Further rounding off the cast are Ningali Lawford as Molly’s mother, Maude, Myarn Lawford as Molly’s grandmother, Deborah Mailman as Mavis, Garry McDonald as Mr. Neal, Roberta Lynch as The Teacher, Roy Billing as Police Inspector, Natasha Wanganeen as Dormitory Boss, Nina, and Lorna Lesley as Miss Thomas.

Rabbit-Proof Fence will have a 4K remastered cut premiere at the Smith Rafael Film Center on Saturday, July 27 at 7pm. You can check out the trailer above.