Australia,
1991, 55 min
Shown in 1992
CREDITS
- dir
-
Chris Hilton
- scr
-
Chris Hilton
- cam
-
Simon Smith
- editor
-
Ray Thomas
- cast
-
Hector Ojandaliu, George Mung Mung
- source
-
Australian Film Commission
- gga award
-
Best of Category, Film & Video: The Arts
-
COMMENTS
Shown with As Happy as Larry. Chris Hilton in person.
OTHER
In several communities of the Australian outback the recurring echoes of ancient Aboriginal Creation stories are now more “accessible” through a new, controversial type of art. Elderly artists are consciously seeking an expression that builds bridges between Aboriginal spirituality—the Dreaming—and the Christian religion of their invaders. This unlikely convergence has offended cultural purists on both sides, who see it as bastardizing their respective religious forms. In carefully exploring both sides of the issue, The Serpent and the Cross takes a privileged look at these artists’ thinking and dreaming and provides a rich, privileged look at the artwork, which beautifully evokes the landscape, both physical and spiritual where they live.
FACTOID #177
In 2000 animator Faith Hubley was the recipient of the Persistence of Vision Award. One year later, her daughter Emily appeared at the Festival with her bandmates, Yo La Tengo, to perform a score accompanying the silent underwater films of Jean Painlevé.
