First Impressions

1984, 9 Minutes

A film based on writings of Asian refugee children who have recently arrived in Australia.

With humour and honesty, refugee children share stories of strange and often remarkable encounters in their adopted homeland, Australia. First Impressions shows how quickly young children can adapt to their new surroundings, from learning that kissing dogs is 'OK', to grasping the finer points of a game of cricket.

Funny, tender, and revealing, it shows how traumatic experiences from the past can live on in the present, in an Australia that can be both progressive and intolerant.

Made with the co-operation of the Indo-Chinese Associations and their local communities by Film Australia. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.