Our series on good films for teenagers continues with an exploration of the australian film the sapphires. It tells the story of four aboriginal women singers from the cummeragunja mission in rural new south wales, australia, who travelled as the sapphires to vietnam in 1968 to entertain us troops there. Based on a true story, the sapphires transports four young australian aboriginal women and their motowninspired soulsisters act from an. Until kay was removed from cummeragunja, the girls felt betrayed by kay and their relationship. The film is based on a true story that blair knows intimately. In the sapphires, we meet the future singers as children, three sisters. The credit sequence updates us on what happened after the sapphires came home, with an extraordinary record of achievement, photos of the women who inspired the film, and a concluding line of piercing sweetness. Aug 09, 2012 based on a true story and adapted from the stage play, the sapphires is an over the top comedymusicaldrama thatll have you laughing, crying and celebrating the achievement of these four amazing. Interesting true story has good music, not enough soul. Jul 12, 2012 the sapphires is an adaptation of the hugely successful australian stage musical of the same name, and is inspired by the remarkable true story of writer tony briggs mother and her family. Gail, cynthia, julie and kay are sexy, black, young and talented and theyve never set foot outside australia. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. In its purest state, corundum is actually colorless.
Apr 17, 2020 the sapphires overview and context read the wikipedia article about the sapphires for an overview of the film and its historical context. I have included suitable websites for you to use for your research worksheet. As an australian film with a star cast, festival acclaim and lots of hype, expectations have been high for the sapphires. As for briggs, he hopes that the sapphiresthe most successful australian film of 2012captures a world and experience largely unknown to the audience, one filled with beauty and song. Our heroines are a singing group of aboriginal women in 1960s. A feelgood film based on the true story of an aboriginal girl. The film is about four young, talented australian aboriginal girls whose allgirl group, the sapphires, entertains the us troops in vietnam. The film depicts the sapphires as australias answer to the supremes, and how they were talentspotted to perform soul numbers for the troops in vietnam. Colorless sapphires were once popular diamond imitations, and theyve staged a.
The sapphires is an adaptation of the hugely successful australian stage musical of the same name, and is inspired by the remarkable true story of writer tony briggs mother and her family. Jun 26, 20 film study the sapphires this week you are going to begin looking at the sapphires. And for four young aboriginal sisters from a remote mission this is the year that would change their lives forever. The sapphires overview and context read the wikipedia article about the sapphires for an overview of the film and its historical context. The sapphires is a 2012 australian musical comedydrama film based on the 2004 stage play of the same name, which is loosely based on a true story.
The sapphires shines light on aboriginal australia bbc news. The film is directed by wayne blair and written by keith thompson and tony briggs, the latter of whom wrote the play. Cowritten by the son of one of the reallife singers and directed by wayne blair, who starred in the play based on their story, the sapphires is clearly a labor of love for all involved. The sapphires by wayne blair is an awardwinning film, which explore the lives of four. The sapphires 2012 the screen guide screen australia.
Sisters cynthia, gail and julie miranda tapsell, deborah mailman and jessica mauboy leave their family in the country after being discovered by dave lovelace chris odowd. Its a big story which includes the racism and ethnic cleansing inflicted upon the aborigine people, the vietnam war, the personal lives of and relationships among the 4 girls and its set to some of the greatest songs ever written. It is based on tony briggs 2004 play with the same name and premiered at the cannes film festival in 2012. She is young and has the strongest voice out of all of the four, in the beginning of the movie she is seen holding her baby, and arguing with her mother and sisters about not going to the competition because she has a baby to take care of. This is an australian film, about four aboriginal girls. The movie itself, directed by wayne blair from a script by keith thompson and tony briggs, is sort of the opposite a solid, stirring song sung.
This movie addresses multiple issues that were present in australia at the time. Adapted from tony briggs play inspired by his mothers experience as an entertainer in wartorn vietnam, the sapphires tells the story of four women from an aboriginal mission community who achieve success entertaining american troops. The film in question is the sapphires, which was released in the year 2012. The sapphires film analysis assessment task by prezi user on. Parents need to know that the sapphires is a factbased musical drama about an aboriginal singing group that went to vietnam in the 1960s to entertain the soldiers. I really started writing the story of the sapphires when i was having. Based on a true story, the film follows four indigenous women who travel to vietnam during the war to perform for us marines. Inspired by a true story, the sapphires follows four vivacious, young and talented australian aboriginal girls from a. In the film the sapphires 2012 directed by wayne blair, the protagonist gail goes through certain experiences leading up to and during her journey in vietnam which cause many significant changes in her as a person. Film text focus the sapphires the 2012 australian film the sapphires is the true story of an allaboriginal girl group who sing for us troops in 1968 at the beginning of the vietnam war.
The sapphires the sapphires, directed by wayne blair is a 2012 australian musical comedydrama based on a true story. The sapphires film analysis assessment task by prezi user. So every note that passes through your lips should have. The sapphires a tuneful trip to vietnam 12 chicago. Wayne blairs the sapphires is the best new historical film that you most likely have not seen, yet.
The truth at the core of this movie is that an aboriginal female soul quartet had to push past racial discrimination at home to entertain troops in. However, silicon is a very common element, making natural corundum relatively uncommon. Sunshiny effervescence dominates wayne blairs 60sset parable of selfdetermination, the sapphires a reallife tale of a group of soul sisters and their cousin who. It would be great to have a sequel, but the sapphires deserve a documentary.
After seeing the sapphires win audience awards at film festivals on several continents, wayne blair knows that his directorial debut pleases crowds. With chris odowd, deborah mailman, jessica mauboy, shari sebbens. Blair carefully constructs the character of gail and makes eff. Gary simmons sets out ways to enhance students understanding of visual texts. Media caption the sapphires cast and director spoke to bbc news about the project. Laurels son tony briggs wrote the play it is based on, and adapted that into a screenplay. The sapphires 2012 is an engaging film directed by prominent australian filmmaker wayne blair. Nov 07, 2012 w ayne blairs the sapphires is a likable, uneven feelgood movie, based on real life. Film study the sapphires year 10 english with mrs wearden. Acted in the 1960s, the girls go around signing in tatty bars, performing country and western music. The sapphires education resource film, tv, videogames. W ayne blairs the sapphires is a likable, uneven feelgood movie, based on real life. The sapphires is a heartwarming, distinctly australian tale full of joy, love and laughter, and featuring an unbeatable soundtrack of motownera soul music.
The imd film databas e also provides good information about the film. The sapphires the sapphires, directed by wayne blair is a 2012 australian musical. The sapphires is a wonderful mix of personal, family, aboriginal, national and international history. Sapphires essay by neha 9h heaps gooder english blog. Film study the sapphires this week you are going to begin looking at the sapphires. Jul 31, 2012 the sapphires is a heartwarming, distinctly australian tale full of joy, love and laughter, and featuring an unbeatable soundtrack of motownera soul music.
A scene from the sapphires 2012 fuse department of. Because of some swearing and nonexplicit sex scenes, the film is mainly suited to middle to upper secondary school levels. A lively feelgood movie about a dark australian time. Personal and family history writer tony briggs used his mothers personal history of entertaining troops in vietnam as the launching place for the sapphires story.
Sunshiny effervescence dominates wayne blairs 60sset parable of selfdetermination, the sapphires a reallife tale of. It is a selection of citations to books and gemology journal articles that discuss the various colors of sapphire, including identification, mining localities, synthetics, treatments, and history. Al 2 o 3 with trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, vanadium, or magnesium. The sapphires chronicles 4 australian singers in the 1960s the.
The sapphires screenplay focus on kay teaching resources. Mar 29, 20 the director, wayne blair, makes his feature film debut with the sapphires, and with the casting of bridesmaids costar chris odowd as the koori girl groups manager, the movies focus has. Until, in the chaos of 1968, theyre plucked from the obscurity of a remote aboriginal mission, branded as australias answer to the supremes, and grasping the chance of a lifetime dropped into the jungles of vietnam to entertain the troops. Billed as australias answer to the supremes, dave secures the sisters their first true gig, and flies them to vietnam to sing for the american troops. Wayne blairs the sapphires is a likable, uneven feelgood movie, based. In this series on good australian films for students in years 7 to 10, teachers are urged to remind students to look at the what, how and why of. This film relates the story of a group of aboriginal australian singers who perform for american troops during the vietnam war. Apr 05, 20 based on a true story, the sapphires transports four young australian aboriginal women and their motowninspired soulsisters act from an impoverished outback mission to wartorn vietnam, circa 1968. The film uses actual news footage to help move the story along. Based on a true story and adapted from the stage play, the sapphires is an overthetop comedymusicaldrama thatll have you laughing, crying and celebrating the achievement of. The director, wayne blair, makes his feature film debut with the sapphires, and with the casting of bridesmaids costar chris odowd as the koori girl groups manager, the movies focus has. The sapphires the sapphires has been described as a feelgood movie about bad things.
It is typically blue, but natural fancy sapphires also occur in yellow, purple, orange, and green colors. Racism in the sapphires the strong presence of racism among australian communities as depicted in the film caused such events, namely the stolen generation, to occur. The sapphires an iconic australian vietnam war film the sapphires was released in 2012 and was directed by wayne blair it was based off of the true story of four aboriginal women. A feelgood film based on the true story of an aboriginal girl group battling prejudice in 1960s australia wowed. This resource links to a scene from the film and provides discussion questions related to that scene. Based on a true story, the sapphires is a triumphant celebration of youthful emotion, family and music. Jul 26, 2012 i am even more excited with the film and to be able to sing along quietly of course with the crowd at the premiere of the film august 2 in melbourne. This bibliography has been prepared as an aid for people interested in sapphire. Set at the time of the american civil rights movement, the film blends musical comedy, drama and romance with an examination of race relations in australia. Nov 06, 2012 media caption the sapphires cast and director spoke to bbc news about the project.
Sapphire is a precious gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum, consisting of aluminum oxide. Apr 15, 20 after seeing the sapphires win audience awards at film festivals on several continents, wayne blair knows that his directorial debut pleases crowds. The film will be released on thursday 9th august at all major cinemas. Its 1968, and four young, talented australian aboriginal girls learn about love, friendship and war when their allgirl group the sapphires entertain the us troops in vietnam. It has has been anything but a disappointment since it opened last week. The film is written by keith thompson and tony briggs, staring jessica mauboy, deborah mailman, shari sebbens, miranda tapselland and chris odowd.
A quick resource for introducing students to the character of kay. Its also a warm tribute to four women for whom success as performers was just the beginning. The sapphires is a genuinely feelgood film that has grit as well as laughter, and some great music which packs enough emotional power to make the tears flow in a good way. In addition to themes of teamwork and following your dreams, it deals with the immoral practice of whites taking lightskinned aboriginal children away from their families to be re. The movie, based on the bands true story, was the most successful australian film of 2012. Sep 24, 20 our series on good films for teenagers continues with an exploration of the australian film the sapphires. I am even more excited with the film and to be able to sing along quietly of course with the crowd at the premiere of the film august 2 in melbourne. Its a sparkling debut, and the festive crowd at its outofcompetition midnight screening in cannes agreed, giving the film a 10minute standing. Jun 07, 2014 the journey through vietnam changes gail. At the beginning of the film kay was very close with her three cousins, they performed plays together and gail protected kay like she was her one of her own as shown in the flashback. Good films for teenagers the sapphires gary simmons abc. The mineral corundum is composed only of aluminum and oxygen, and it requires a growth environment thats free of silicon.
Contains 5 quotesexamples that students can use for an essay response. Before you start viewing the film, if is important for you to know something about the context or background of the story. The sapphires is a pgrated film, so it is suitable for a wide range of year levels, as are the issues it raises about indigenous australians. This significant event was a period in late 1800s1960s where children from both indigenous, and nonindigenous i. Based on a true story, the sapphires transports four young australian aboriginal women and their motowninspired soulsisters act from an impoverished outback.
Julie is one of the many main characters in the movie, the sapphires. Set in 1968, the sapphires is based on the true story of four indigenous australian singers. This analysis is based on a group presentation we have presented. The curriculum areas that the film could be related to include.
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