a couple of years after finishing fitzcarraldo, werner herzog took on where the green ants dream.

it's a film much lighter in emotional intensity, but covers the serious topic of aborigine land claims. wandjuk and roy marika are wonderful as the two aborigine leads (wandjuk's didgeridoo playing is a treat), helping to provoke the sense of injustice the film raises. i can't imagine how the film was received in australia in 1984, but it must have made an impact and stirred the controversial pot.

the pace of this film is slowed down, giving us an overview of landscape and lifestyle. as well, there is some good humour tucked away within this potentially heavy subject matter. bruce spence does a good turn as a mining employee stuck between his company loyalties and his growing understanding of the aborigine way of life. i really like what herzog has done here, although the film does feel a bit heavy handed at moments (there are a few scenes which he mentions regretting he didn't shoot differently in the commentary track to the film). regardless, the work holds up well to continue to illustrate the ongoing issue of land rights not just in australia, but for aboriginal peoples around the world. combined with the stellar acting, where the green ants dream remains well worth watching.