The Movie Show: Australia Daze Review

This segment from SBS program The Movie Show (1986–2008) features a review of the documentary Australia Daze (1988) by Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton.

Margaret and David, who hosted the long-running program until 2004, were famous for their very different styles and their spirited debates. They didn't always agree about the films they covered but both here give Australia Daze a rare five stars all round.

Margaret alludes to the film's timing and historial significance, having been filmed on 26 January 1988 – the bicentary of Europeans arriving in Australia – a day of celebration for some and mourning for others. She notes how the documentary presents vastly differing views from a wide array of people about what it means to be Australian – a brief excerpt from the documentary illustrates this perfectly.

This five-star review, by two of Australia's most influential film critics, signals that the film was a watershed moment in Australian filmmaking and offers an important historical record of the time.