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A family Bible, a cane knife and a pice of sheet metal recovered from a downed warplane are just a few of the possessions highlighted by the film Heirlooms (2010), in which 10 men and women share their stories of the family objects – and, in one case, a song – they hold close to their hearts. As the film pairs these eclectic items with the narratives of struggle, persecution, war and strength that have brought them to Australia, a through-line emerges of a desire to remember the sacrifices of, and stay culturally connected to, the the lives of parents and grandparents. Endearingly crafted by the Australian animators Susan Danta and Wendy Chandler, the short documentary forms a poignant portrait of how and why people imbue family keepsakes with deep meaning.
Directors: Susan Danta, Wendy Chandler
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Animals and humans
One man’s quest to save an orphaned squirrel, as narrated by David Attenborough
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Computing and artificial intelligence
A future in which ‘artificial scientists’ make discoveries may not be far away
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History
Hags, seductresses, feminist icons – how gender dynamics manifest in witches
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Wellbeing
Children of the Rwandan genocide face a unique stigma 30 years later
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Earth science and climate
Images carved into film form a haunting elegy for a disappearing slice of Earth
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Biology
Butterflies become unrecognisable landscapes when viewed under electron microscopes
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War and peace
Two Ukrainian boys’ summer unfolds just miles from the frontlines
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Nature and landscape
California’s landscapes provide endless inspiration for a woodcut printmaker
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Love and friendship
Never marry a man you love too much, and other views on romance in Sierra Leone
5 minutes