The Matilda Candidate

Follow filmmaker Curtis Levy as he embarks on a hilarious personal journey to prove Waltzing Matilda should become the national anthem when Australia becomes a republic. The Matilda Candidate is an insightful exploration of the intersection between the great shearers' strike and the beginnings of the white Australia policy. The millions of Australians who sing Waltzing Matilda with such patriotic enthusiasm have no idea that the events that inspired the song are among the most volatile in Australia's history. The filmmaker who brought you Hephzibah and The President versus David Hicks turns the camera on himself as he stands for election to the Australian Senate and explores Australia's suitability to become a republic. The surprising history of the song reveals several obstacles to its acceptance as the national anthem. Waltzing Matilda was written in 1895, a time when there was both an exaggerated fear of outsiders, and a schizophrenic split about whether the population should be British or Australian. The writing of Waltzing Matilda encompasses a deeply emotional and formative time for Australia, and the song continues to express the psyche of the nation. The Matilda Candidate looks at whether Australians' continued passion for the song means they are developing a mindset capable of embracing the true values of a republic. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)