VIDIOLA - Paulo Alberton, Filmmaker

..."This year Screenwest and the WA Film and Television Institute (FTI) presented special showcase of emerging WA talent at the 2004 Revelation Perth International Film Festival. The Get Your Shorts On program contained 9 short narrative films in all, including drama, comedy and animation..."

..."The surprise package of the selection was the satirical mockumantary Going To The Dogs, written and directed by Paulo Alberton and co-produced with Rachel Way. This curious film begins with a breezy magazine-show tone, the narrator offering a tour of Cottesloe Beach and the culture of prestige pooches that features on the promenade. At first it appears inanely preocupied with this little subculture of affluence, but it reveals a clever commentary on multi-culturalism and immigration within its examination of exotic dog ownership and the disparities between human deprivation and over-indulged pets. The mixture of animation and real footage is assembled with flair and the overall effect is genuinely funny in a fresh and playful way, with a social critique handled well...”

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Paulo Alberton's ten minute animated documentary film uses dogs as a metaphor to question the immigration policies of the Howard Government. Inspiring and imaginative, Alberton's film is a moving example of the power of metaphor and poetic symbolism of the visual form. The filmmaker explores a sensitive political issue seemingly preoccupied by the history of dogs, yet, his ostensibly benign exploration of this topic quickly transforms into a stinging criticism of the government's policy of mandatory detention. Senior Media students could benefit from viewing this film as part of their discovery of the short form and preparing for their major project. They could also learn a lot about the practical considerations; filming, use of archival material and, in particular, editing and the use of voice over, in effectively conveying a political message.

This brief overview of recent Australian documentary films did not include the inspiring tale about an 'illegal' migrant on the run, Refugee - A Recipe in Six Steps , the warm, poetic explorations of Aboriginal identity, Yellow Fella and Case 442 , a story about the indigenous community of Bali, titled I am You are Me , dealing with the consequences of the terrorist attack, and many others that all imply a more or less pronounced political subtext. Introducing those films in the Australian secondary classroom might provide students and teachers with a new insight into some of the most challenging issues confronting our society at the start of the twenty first century.