About

26 January 1988, the Bicentenary of European settlement in Australia. Twenty-nine camera crews captured the nation’s response, contrasting the official celebrations with the thoughts and attitudes of ordinary Australians. They filmed everything for 24 hours, with cameras rolling at a minute to midnight: from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander protests to Royal visits and backyard barbies; from the spectacle of Tall Ships coming through the Sydney Heads to re-enactments on dry riverbeds in outback Australia.

The finished film is both entertaining and thought-provoking, addressing the quintessentially Australian disparity of what 26 January means to different sectors in our society. For audiences in 2021, there will be recognisable characters, nostalgic and cringeworthy moments, and realisations that some things haven’t changed much.

This screening of 'NFSA Restores: Australia Daze' is presented in partnership with the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra.