SKIPPING CLASSES

Australia, 1983, 42 minutes, Colour.
David Bradshaw.
Directed by Chris Warner.

Skipping Classes is a short Australian feature set in Melbourne. It has the backing of multicultural and educational authorities and is intended to highlight multicultural themes and issues in Australia of the '80s. It takes a 16-year-old in a Melbourne school, his Macedonian background as embodied especially in, his father and the difficulties he has in his final years at school. The film reflects the employment situation of the times. There is also a focus on various
teachers especially Andrew, who has just gone through a divorce situation and is trying to cope with a class and difficult students.

The film shows the strengths and weaknesses of the systems, the adequacies and inadequacies of good willed people trying to cope. The film also highlights a great deal of prejudice and racist attitudes which are taken for granted in Australian urban society. At times some of the speeches are written in a particularly didactic tone. For the most part, however, the film tells an interesting story and is persuasive in its observation of urban Melbourne in the '80s. It echoes in many ways Michael Pattinson's feature about an Italian family, Moving Out.

1. The impact of the film? Mirroring society? Critique of society? Raising multicultural issues to consciousness? Didactic? Entertaining? Effective communication?

2. The sponsorship of educational authorities and multicultural groups? Film as a satisfying and satisfactory way of communicating and teaching?

3. The atmosphere of the '80s? Topical: the suburban streets, the references to the government fulfilling election promises, the quotation from A.M.? Facts and controversies of the times? Racist and multicultural issues as divisive in Australian society?

4. The background of Australia and its successive migrant groups? The superior tones taken by the Anglo-Irish? earlier migrant groups? The European groups coming from Europe after World War Two? Their successive superiority with later coming groups? Home life, language difficulties, cultural difficulties and differences? The parent generation and the respect for traditions? The reaction of the school generation? Home expectations? Society expectations? Ridicule and racism? Conflict within the younger generation? The questions of becoming 'an Aussie' - integration, keeping traditions alive? The opening sequence with father and son in slow motion doing Macedonian dances?

5. The portrait of Steve's father Vasel? A strong man? His memories of his childhood, his father and his death, the violence of war? Macedonia and his love for it? The pictures in his house? The contrast with his home in suburban Melbourne with its mod cons, garden? His doing what he knows? His work in the factory - the locker scene (and its repetition at the end with Steve there and Vasel's arm outstretched, not touching his son)? His wife as mother, managing the Australian house? Her limited language? Relationship with the children? The girls and their home style, outdoors - joking about their parents with Steve? The love in the household? Vasel's love for his son, pride in his son? Hopes - pushing and imposing? His comments on decorum, wearing the right shoes to school etc.? The importance of the teachers' night, his hopes about university studies? Telling his son his hopes for him? The careers guide and his telling the truth? Vasel’s reaction? Its effect on him? His being hurt? His night and memories? Smiling on his sleeping son? The talk in the garden with Steve? The end and the father and son working in the factory? His disappointment? A portrait of a migrant father? An empathetic portrait?

6. The portrait of Steve - at home, born in Macedonia yet lacking the feel for the traditions and language? His knowledge of the language? Within the family, at home, styles, shoes to school, with his sisters? His previous success at school, changing at 16? His ability with his hands, photography? His inability at academic studies, lack of interests? Skipping classes? His friends as a group and their missing classes, being in the photography room? The abuse in the classroom, racism? His being particularly sensitive? The class discussion about traditions and his denying his dancing? Yet his dancing classes - liking them at home but not outside? His stressing that he was an Aussie? His trying to persuade Andrew Ferguson to not tell his father about skipping classes? His playing pinball games (and the visual contrasts with his father at work)? Wanting to leave school? Recreation, wandering? The boredom of the 16-year-old, peer pressure and approval? The careers guide and his telling the truth about Steve? His reaction? Trying to keep pace with his father's pressure? The reaction against Ferguson and his criticising them, letting his tyres down? The discussion in the garden? His leaving school - in the locker-room with his father? What prospects?

7. The portrait of the friends - the variety of cultural backgrounds? The differing attitudes? Steve's more easygoing friend? The composite group in the classroom and their discussions about traditions? The scenes of the Macedonian dancing classes?

8. Andrew Ferguson - the Australian teacher, waking up, driving to school, casual clothes. the more disciplined members of the staff? The discussion with the boys and their plea about not telling parents the truth? His conduct of the class - his dislike of racist taunts? The discussion about traditions? The staff-room and his relationship with the rest of the teachers? The careers guide? The staff night and the discussion with Steve's father. not telling him the truth, giving him false encouragement? The visit to Steve's home. the formal attitude, the father's hostility, Andrew's backing up Steve yet backing off? His reaction and disciplining the boys in the photography room? Their reaction after seeing the head-master? Letting his tyres down? The social and the discussions about multiculturalism, the toast? A good man, able, the possibility of getting out, the reality of staying, his exasperation? A whole class, problem kids and doing his best?

9. The staff-room and the range of teachers, the happy attitudes, the man offering his resignation, the differing attitudes of the women? The counsellor? The academic and distance discussion of cultural traditions? The importance of the mood of the teachers' social outing?

10. Authority figures - the headmaster and his reprimands, the careers guide, the reality of opportunity, the poor record of the school, the encouragement of Steve in ordinary practical courses, photography?

11. The portrait of Melbourne family life?

12. The picture of the schools - education for what?

13. Themes of racism and hostility? Jonesy and his taunts about migrants?

14. The values of a multicultural Australia?