Rabbit-Proof Fence

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(WOMAN SINGS

IN ABORIGINAL LANGUAGE)

(Woman speaks

in Aboriginal language)

(HAUNTING MUSIC)

(BIRD CALLS)

(BIRD CALLS)

(CHILDREN LAUGH)

Grrr!

(Laughs)

river-script-transcript-spacek-gibson.html

That's them.

Yeah.

Molly's the big one.

The little one's

her sister Daisy.

The middle one's

their cousin Gracie.

Well, what about the fathers?

Moved on.

(CHILDREN SHOUT EXCITEDL Y)

WOMAN:
Bring it here.

(CLOCK BELL CHIMES)

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

WOMAN:
The next batch.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

There's two applications

for section ex emptions.

Police reports are there.

William Harris is applying

for permission to marry.

She's half-caste also.

And Mary Wilson's applying

for permission to visit

her child at Moore River.

She's quite agitated.

Oh, and Gladys Phillips

has written for permission

to buy some new shoes.

She had a new pair a year ago.

Er, now, this report

from Constable Riggs

about three little half-caste girls

at the Jigalong fence depot -

Molly, Gracie and Daisy.

The youngest is

of particular concern.

She is promised to a full-blood.

I'm authorising their removal.

They're to be taken to

Moore River as soon as possible.

Oh, and Miss Thomas,

if you could check that the rate

for police transportation

is still, I believe,eight pence per mile.

Yes, Mr Neville.

Thank you.

(Rings chime)

(EERIE SILENCE)

(DOGS BARK)

That country over there,

that's Wongi country.

You can't go there.

You get big trouble.

Yeah, I know.

Where your country?

My country?

Down south.

Long way from here.

Our dad works there

on the rabbit fence.

Yeah?

How far does rabbit fence

go to?

The rabbit-proof fence?

It goes all the way

to the sea down that way.

Right to the top of Australia.

Longest fence in the world.

And all the way

to the sea down that way.

miles long.

Keeps the rabbits

on that side of the fence.

Keeps the farmland

on this side of the fence.

That Molly's

getting to be a big girl.

Mr Neville's been writing to me

about those girls, you know.

Frankie...

Come on, it's your turn.

Come and get your rations.

(ANIMAL BELLOWS)

Hurry up.

(CAR APPROACHES)

(CAMEL BELLOWS)

(DRAMATIC MUSIC)

(Women yell)

(WOMEN SHOUT)

Come for the three girls,

Maude.

NO!

This is my kids! MINE!

It's the law, Maude.

(Screams) No!

Got no say in it.

No! Mine!

(AII yell)

Move one inch

and I'll lock your mother up!

Neville's their legal guardian.

MOLL Y:
Get away from us! Go!

No!

Daisy!

(Cries) Give me back my Daisy!

You sit up and you stay!

I've got the papers, Maude!

(Screams)

Don't take them! No!

You've got no say in it!

(Screams) No!

(Cries)

Hear this - don't move!

(WAILING)

Nothing you can do here,

old girl!

(Speaks Aboriginal language)

Nothing you can do.

(Maude screams) Leave them!

(Wails)

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

(SILENCE)

(Women wail)

NEVILLE:
As you know,

every Aborigine born in this State

comes under my control.

Notice, if you will,

the half-caste child.

And there are

ever-increasing numbers of them.

Now, what is to happen to them?

Are we to allow the creation

of an unwanted third race?

Should coloureds be encouraged

to go back to the black?

Or should they be advanced

to white status

and be absorbed

in the white population?

Now, time and again,

I'm asked by some white man,

"If I marry

this coloured person,

"will our children be black?"

And as Chief Protector

of Aborigines,

it is my responsibility

to accept or reject those marriages.

Here is the answer.

Three generations.

Half-blood grandmother.

Quadroon daughter.

Octoroon grandson.

Now, as you can see,

in the third generation,

or third cross,

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