Archie Roach: A circle of life

Title:
Archie Roach: A circle of life
NFSA ID
1493177
Year
2000
Warnings
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following program may contain images and/or audio of deceased persons
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This clip is an excerpt from the documentary film about the Stolen Generations, Land of the Little Kings (2000).

Archie Roach was two years old when he was forcibly separated from his family.

The metaphor of a circle, a broken circle and rejoining a circle, is obviously very important to him and its personal meaning and value is made explicit in this clip.

Although staged for the camera, his explanation is nonetheless presented authentically through the intimacy and simplicity of drawing a circle on the ground with his finger.

The camera direction is particularly effective as it slowly pans from ground level and from above, emphasising the circle he describes.

Notes by Beth Taylor and Adam Blackshaw