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Ewan McGregor film in racial stereotyping row Ewan McGregor film in racial stereotyping row
(7 months later)
An Australian crime thriller starring Ewan McGregor has run into an embarrassing row over a casting call which asked for extras of Aboriginal or other ethnic minority backgrounds to play convicts.An Australian crime thriller starring Ewan McGregor has run into an embarrassing row over a casting call which asked for extras of Aboriginal or other ethnic minority backgrounds to play convicts.
Son of a Gun, billed as a taut heist movie which centres on the relationship between Australia's public enemy number one (McGregor) and a young protege, expects to shoot in Western Australia next year with Cannes prize-winner Julius Avery in the director's chair. Producers have drawn the ire of race campaigners after appearing to cast along racial lines, issuing a call for mainly "Aboriginal, Islander, Maori and Middle Eastern males" to play prisoners, though there was room too for "tough-looking guys of other nationalities". When it came to casting "hired muscle", the film wanted mainly "Australian, Italian and European gang member/organised crime types," suggesting a distinct racial bias to the process.Son of a Gun, billed as a taut heist movie which centres on the relationship between Australia's public enemy number one (McGregor) and a young protege, expects to shoot in Western Australia next year with Cannes prize-winner Julius Avery in the director's chair. Producers have drawn the ire of race campaigners after appearing to cast along racial lines, issuing a call for mainly "Aboriginal, Islander, Maori and Middle Eastern males" to play prisoners, though there was room too for "tough-looking guys of other nationalities". When it came to casting "hired muscle", the film wanted mainly "Australian, Italian and European gang member/organised crime types," suggesting a distinct racial bias to the process.
"I understand the characters were written this way and the casting director was just following instructions, but the problem lies in the fact it's only the extras and the villains who are from these backgrounds and there's nothing to offset that," said Gary Paramanathan, director of the Colourfest film festival, which highlights positive messages about Australia's ethnic minorities through film. "You never get to find any redeeming qualities in them, they're always relegated to being people you never have any attachment to – and I think that can be projected into reality.""I understand the characters were written this way and the casting director was just following instructions, but the problem lies in the fact it's only the extras and the villains who are from these backgrounds and there's nothing to offset that," said Gary Paramanathan, director of the Colourfest film festival, which highlights positive messages about Australia's ethnic minorities through film. "You never get to find any redeeming qualities in them, they're always relegated to being people you never have any attachment to – and I think that can be projected into reality."
Son of a Gun's production company issued a statement denying suggestions of racism but apologising for the wording of the casting call, which it said had been taken out of context.Son of a Gun's production company issued a statement denying suggestions of racism but apologising for the wording of the casting call, which it said had been taken out of context.
"It is an unfortunate fact that a high proportion of WA prisoners are of Aboriginal descent," the statement read. "When the advertisement was placed we had already sourced our prison extras of 'Caucasian' descent (who form the majority of prisoners) … Finally, it should be noted that overall there are a broad range of nationalities portrayed in Son of a Gun and practically every character in this film is 'crooked'.""It is an unfortunate fact that a high proportion of WA prisoners are of Aboriginal descent," the statement read. "When the advertisement was placed we had already sourced our prison extras of 'Caucasian' descent (who form the majority of prisoners) … Finally, it should be noted that overall there are a broad range of nationalities portrayed in Son of a Gun and practically every character in this film is 'crooked'."
Western Australia-born Avery won prizes from the Cannes, Berlin and Australian Film Institute in 2008 for his short film Jerrycan. Son of a Gun is his first feature film.Western Australia-born Avery won prizes from the Cannes, Berlin and Australian Film Institute in 2008 for his short film Jerrycan. Son of a Gun is his first feature film.
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