This week on Great Southern Landscapes, Rachel Griffiths travels to Western Australia to find the exact spot where Narelle Autio photographed her iconic 2004 shot, Splash.
Along the way, she travels to Adelaide to meet Narelle on her favourite beach and see the original photograph in the flesh. Narelle’s story of how she captured Splash is quintessentially Australian: a scorching 40 degree summer’s day, a packed urban back, Australians young and old frolicking in the sun and surf…and a shark siren.
While in South Australia, Rachel also meets Lucky, a refugee from Somalia who Narelle photographed in 2011 in a surf lifesaving burqini. As they stroll on a beach esplanade, they discuss how – despite the 2005 Cronulla race riots – the beach can still be a place of freedom, regardless of race, religion, creed or colour.
She then flies to Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, to meet celebrated Australian author Tim Winton, whose work is awash with references to the beach and the surf in Australian culture.
And then it’s off to Cottesloe Beach in Perth, where Rachel meets a traditional owner who explains that this place, known to them as Mudurup, was a ceremonial site and a place of celebration for First Nations people.
Production credit: A Mint Pictures production in association with Magdalene Media. Principal production investment from Screen Australia and the ABC. In association with Screen NSW. Series Director Ariel White. Field Producer Kirrilly Brentall. Series Producer Dan Goldberg. Executive Producers Adam Kay, Rachel Griffiths & Ariel White. ABC Commissioning Editor Julia Hanna. Acting Head of Factual and Culture Richard Huddleston. ABC Commercial holds worldwide distribution right.
Rachael Griffiths is appalling – a real try hard. It’s embarrassing. So many others who could have made a more enjoyable program
No, she’s not. I think she is bloody marvellous, so there.