It’s astonishing that Van Diemen’s Land is the first Australian convict film since 1927’s For the Term of His Natural Life, when you consider that this country was largely founded by settlements for UK prisoners. So as foundation of our past, the question of why this part of our history remains largely untold begs to be answered. The state of Tasmania has had its fair share of notoriety that stretches across the 19th and 20th centuries, but there has only been an increased interest in learning about the past in recent years (rather than refusing to acknowledge it). From the end of the silent era to now there has been enormous progression in cinema across the world, but within Australia, Van Diemen’s Land is all the richer being told today – because audiences can, and will, accept and learn from the brutality and horror of these events.

Don’t be fooled by the name – van Diemen doesn’t just signify our colonised past, but also perfectly expresses the hostility and fear of the escaped convicts. There are demons in all eight escapees, including the now infamous Alexander Pearce (Oscar Redding). 1822 Tasmania is a strange place for these men, coming from across the UK just the same as immigrants would today, with no knowledge of the landscape. Their escape is poorly planned, so not the Great Escape you might imagine; tensions are high between all of them, with the cultural differences between the Irish, Scottish and English and lack of trust affecting their movements. What happens on their journey to freedom is truly chilling, as the film explores the lengths humans will go to in order to survive. There’s no shying away from brutality as the convicts reveal why they are where they are, while they talk of women with disrespect and have no shame. It asks questions but leaves them unanswered as it forces you to think about values of loyalty and decency.

Based on information from Pearce’s diaries, director Jonathan auf der Heide uses narration to reveal philosophies throughout the film. Paired with visuals of dense forests, the film immediately becomes an eerie reflection of an uncertain man. The idea that ‘a man with no blood on his hands is no man’ gives us an insight into what he might become, and as Pearce’s presence becomes stronger throughout the film we see that the deal-breaker of the group is not always the most obvious one. The Irish Gaelic dialogue that Redding learnt for the Pearce role further gives the impression that they’re at the end of the world with nowhere to go, and minimal outside characters leave the core group within a huge alienating environment. It’s this feeling that gives Van Diemen’s Land its horror standing, for a story of survival such as this – bleak and brutal – in film often provides one of the most effective scares of all. auf der Heide’s chosen landscape is haunting and beautiful, with the simple forests comprising of ninety per cent of the visuals. The lush greens contrasting with blue-grey tones are aesthetically effective, while the varying shots both alienate you and reel you in. Plot-wise, the steady pace remains as Pearce and navigator Robert Greenhill’s (Arthur Angel) relationship intensifies. Both Redding and Angel are standouts, but the ensemble cast is also strong.

Verdict

It’s about time Australia returns to have a true look at its past. Van Diemen’s Land is a well-rounded film; simple settings and complex characters mark an important story in our history.

Follow the author Katina Vangopoulos on Twitter.