terror nullius (2018)

culture as assemblage

Reworking memorable footage from Australian mythology, Soda Jerk re-imagine Aussie history and culture to satirical effect in this playful tapestry of a film. The filmmakers use a range of sophisticated editing techniques to converge Australian history onto itself, ranging from eye-line matches to voice-over dubbing to video collage. The shantytowns of the Mad Max world become detention centres; the monster from the Babadook is transformed into a queer icon; Skippy the Bush Kangaroo waxes philosophically about the cultural moment that was Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975). In some sense a curatorial project of its own, Terror Nullius re-assembles the Australian media landscape to create a new system of relations to challenge the old.