Red Dog Themes

Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the Australian Film Festival board. Australia is filled with narratives that express the national character, although the one behind Red Dog may be one of the most touching. Directed by Kriv Stenders and written by Daniel Taplitz, the film is a heart-warming family film that ‘embraces the Australian spirit and communities coming together in tough times’ – producer (confuwho, 2012). The film is based on the legendary dog who roamed around Western Australia during the 1970’s. The film Red dog captures a compelling story of a lovable dog who finds his way into the hearts of everyone he meets, a sense of community, overcoming hardship, loyalty, and mateship is also evident in the film (IMDB, 2011). It is through these characteristics and

Set in Western Australia, the community needs a companion with whom they can share their feelings of loneliness and provide them with a sense of purpose. Red dog helps to build a community through his generous heart, as seen in his willingness to listen to the miner’s problems. For instance, this is demonstrated through Red dog’s bravery which is seen in his willingness to risk his life to save Jocko when he tries to get eaten by the sharks. It is loyalty that he inspires in others, as is seen with the town’s response to the Cribbage’s when they threatened to kill Red dog for being on their property. However, the whole community shows up at their doorstep and confronts them. It is only through their friendship with Red Dog that the characters learn to love, form meaning relationships and bond together as a community. Red dog’s independent nature is appealing to the miners because of their different ethnicity and their lack of shared connections. Just as Red Dog hitches a ride into Dampier, the miners come from all around the world and lack a common culture or sense of belonging. Show multiculturalism in