From Sand to Celluloid – Two Bob Mermaid
Clip 2: Crossing the street
1 min 53 sec
Taken from the short film From Sand to Celluloid – Two Bob Mermaid (1996)
Original title classification not known – this clip chosen to be G
Availability of the complete title
Please be aware that this clip may contain the names, images and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may now be deceased.
Curator’s clip description
A small hut nestled in the hills. Koorin (Carrie Prosser) is sitting and writing by the light of a lamp. Her brother teases her as he walks past. Koorin fantasises about being a glamorous swimmer. Aboriginal kids, Koorin amongst them, walk up the street laughing. Koorin sees May (Megan Drury) on the other side of the street. She crosses the road to speak to her white friends. Koorin’s mother’s boyfriend (David Page) pulls up in a truck, and all the Aboriginal kids except Koorin get into the back. Koorin instead walks off with her white friends.
Curator’s notes
Koorin is a character who represents a moment in history where Indigenous people would identify as another race in order to gain access to public areas and privileges, or just to avoid vilification. The whole idea of ‘passing’ is still an active part of Aboriginal identity.
Romaine Moreton, curator
