'The authors offer a compelling argument about the development of Australian cinema in the wake of the High Court's 1993 Mabo judgement, which overturned the founding principle of terra nullius - the myth that Australia was 'empty' prior to European settlement/invasion. This belated realization, Collins and Davis argue, opened a completely new chapter in the country's national cinema. The late 1990s and early 2000s have seen Australian film-makers respond by reflecting critically upon Australia's unresolved historical 'trauma' and restaging the country's colonial history … the book is strong in addressing films directly responsive to the crumbling myth of terra nullius … it … offers an excellent, much-needed sophisticated contribution to contemporary political, historical and cinematic debates around Australian national identity, while evidencing the continuing weight and relevance of film as a culturally engaged form.' Year's Work in Critical and Cultural Theory
