"Rabbit-Proof Fence" is an emotionally stirring Australian film about three young girls who walk 1,200 miles to reunite with their mothers after being kidnapped and taken to a reeducation reservation in 1931. These reservations were not unlike those "Indian schools" found in the US, where American Indians (Native Americans) were housed and fed a steady diet of indoctrination into the white culture; not allowed to speak their own language, wear their own clothes or worship as they chose. In Australia these children were considered to be half-castes, having both Aborigine and Caucasian blood, and the plan was to "breed out" the Aboriginal bloodline. Beautiful cinematography forms a backdrop for Oscar caliber performances. Based upon a true story, young adults and older children will also appreciate this film.

A strange name for the film, photos of two sad looking kids we don't recognize, and the lack of a big marketing campaign might not make you want to rush and see this movie. Sometimes first instincts are wrong, and such is the case here. When you learn that director Phillip Noyce brought us "Bone Collector" with Denzel Washington, and two Tom Clancy films with Harrison Ford, "Clear and Present Danger" and "Patriot Games," then you start to sit up and pay attention.

From the period of 1905 until 1971, the Australian government had a policy of kidnapping young boys and girls of mixed Caucasian and Aboriginal blood. Mr. Neville (Kenneth Branagh), also referred to as the "devil," was in charge of the department and called Chief Protector of Aborigines, its very nature condescending and racist. They did not want three races to exist. The idea was that the lighter skinned children of mixed blood would be bred with whites over three generations and by that time, all traces of Aborigine blood would be gone. This despicable policy was in many ways as bitter a practice as the slaves taken from Goree Island in Senegal, because it was a point of no return.

When we see how damaged one can become in a relatively stable environment, such as foster care ("Antwone Fisher"), one gets an idea of the damage that centuries of slavery can do to a people with respect to self image and confidence. If positive characteristics are eroded, it's virtually impossible for one to stand tall and participate effectively in a competitive world.

In 1931, three young girls were kidnapped and taken 1,200 miles to a religious camp to be reeducated in the ways of the white culture. This was a permanent solution, whereby the girls were to never have any contact with their mothers again. Fourteen-year-old Molly (Everlyn Sampi) learned survival skills with her Aborigine family when they went hunting. She knew how to track and survive off of the land. One Sunday, when she and her sister Daisy (Tianna Sansbury) and cousin Gracie (Laura Monaghan) are left behind to dump the urine bucket, Molly notices an approaching storm and decides now is the time to make an escape. Even the expert tracker Moodoo (David Gulpilil) would have difficulty finding them because the rain will cover their tracks.

Amazingly, with a combination of considerable skill, and some luck, the three girls manage to evade the trackers. Almost always the runaways would be quickly found. After a few weeks of being on the run, word of their escape made it into the newspapers, and both the police and Mr. Neville were embarrassed by the situation. The girls' home village of Jigalong had a fence, built to keep rabbits out of the agriculture area, which ran 1,500 miles. The girls figured that if they made it to the fence and turned in the right direction, they would be guided back home. What they did not know was that the trackers would conclude they were following the fence, and that there was more than one fence.

Not to take anything away from the director, I greatly admire Phillip Noyce, but there are a couple of other strokes of genius as well that make this film outstanding. One is the work done by cinematographer Christopher Doyle, which is nothing short of magnificent. Another is the acting by the three girls, especially Everlyn Sampi and Tianna Sansbury. Normally best actress kudos go to someone who shows a range of emotions in different situations. Here, my hat is off to these two young women because of their ability to convey emotion with quiet determination and intelligence. Often the strongest moments are when little or nothing is said. You are able to feel their desperation and almost see what they must have been thinking.

At the end of the film we see two of the three girls, now old women, as they speak of the desire, spirit, creativity and love that led them to do what seemed to be the impossible. Their experiences prove that nothing is impossible, and their story once again shows that well-intentioned government policy, not tempered with compassion or common sense, can not only be misguided, but disastrous. Only with free speech and the ability to demonstrate with other means of protest, can future miscarriages of justice be prevented or carried out for only a short period of time. Most "road movies" are silly and irrelevant. "Rabbit Proof Fence" is meaningful, educational, and heartwarming, as well as unforgettable.

Kenneth Branagh: Harry Potter: Chamber of Secrets	Phillip Noyce: The Quiet American
Christopher Doyle: In the Mood for Love