Rating: M
Running Time: 104 mins
Screening: Saturday 25 September 4.30pm at Mercury Cinema
http://www.ozasiafestival.com.au/films
http://www.mercurycinema.org.au/
Letters to Ali by director Clara Law is screening as part of the OzAsia Film Festival’s Hong Kong on Screen. This year’s retrospective showcases the work of internationally acclaimed director Clara Law who rides the wave of Asian-Australia cinema. Her work focuses on the perils of migration she herself migrating from Hong Kong to Melbourne with her partner, producer-writer Eddie Fong in 1995.
Letters to Ali is a 2004 documentary following one family’s journey as they commence writing to a young Afghan refugee separated from his family being held at the Port Hedland Detention centre. Doctor, Trish Kerbi, her husband Rob Silberstein and their four children communicate with “Ali” (not his real name as his lawyer was concerned that he may be singled out for unfavourable treatment) over the course of 18 months. The family then set out on a “long march” to visit him. Law was not able to film “Ali” as cameras are not allowed in the detention centre. Shot from a small video camera with the use of titles throughout the film help overcome some of the limitations of this.
Its told simply without sensationalism which just adds to the power of the story. This was reinforced as Trish and Rob’s children describe their eyewitness account of the oppressive detention centre. Malcolm Fraser and Ian McPhee make weighty social commentary providing as a historical view of Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers which pricks out of conscience of a more humane time pre 9/11. Compelling viewing.
3/5 stars
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