I chose to compare and contrast the movie we have studied in class Beneath Clouds directed by Ivan Sen and a picture of a non aboriginal person with the traditional aboriginal tattoos. These texts can be contrasted in different ways like through the character of Lena and Vaughn using the themes of identity and multiculturalism. The texts can also be compared through techniques such as symbolism and foil. Forms of camera shots helped the audience view particular angles of the text.
Lena is a half Aboriginal girl with a white complexion, this leads to the disguise of her cultural heritage throughout the film. Her whole identity isn’t portrayed to people she meets as they just assume she is white but then again, she likes it that way. The non visible cultural side of Lena also represents how societies view on people can be very close minded, only believing what they see and may signify how even though Australia is multicultural, the concept may not be accepted by all.
The technique foil is when a character provides a contrast to another character and this can be seen through Lena and Vaughn. In the sense that Lena is representing the white community whilst still having a connection with Vaughn and his culture as she is also indigenous. The mixture of the cultural heritage is not only shown in the film but also in the picture.
It can be contrasted to the man in the picture where he is representing two different cultures openly without shame. It is a mid shot taken to highlight his features, giving the viewer an opportunity to see the evidence of his nationalities combined. Symbolism is used to represent his aboriginal culture through the tattoos across the man’s chest. By combining and representing two cultures in one person in the picture, it can be compared to Beneath Clouds through Lena and Vaughn as they both show and portray different cultures. Lena alone has come from two cultures but together they represent the multiculturalism...