My Brother Vinnie (ATOM Study Guide)

My Brother Vinnie (Steven McGregor, 2006) is a 24-minute documentary about two brothers – acclaimed Aboriginal actor Aaron Pedersen, and Vinnie Pedersen, who has cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability.

The story is told by Aaron, and it is an exploration of his relationship with Vinnie.

The film introduces us to the two men, and then takes us on a journey with them to Alice Springs, where they will install a memorial cross to their grandmother.

It seems like an unexciting and uneventful film – but there is an extraordinary warmth and honesty to it that makes it a valuable resource for the classroom.

The film is not confrontational or dramatic, but it deals with many important issues in ways that surprise.

Aaron is the carer, and we see his love and care for Vinnie, but we also see Aaron admit that Vinnie is a crushing burden. Without the intervention of Aaron's mother-in-law, Mum Frances, we see that the story could have been tragic.

Aaron and Vinnie are Aboriginal, and we see the great strength that comes through Mum Frances' care for Vinnie – affirming the image of family that is so strong in the modern image and representation of Aboriginal culture.

Yet we also see the hurt that the Pedersens' mother has caused them, and there is bitterness and condemnation that provide a sense of reality and complexity to family relationships.