Van Diemen’s Land

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND is based on the gruesome true story of Australia's most notorious convict, Alexander Pearce, and his infamous escape into the beautiful yet brutal Tasmanian wilderness. A point of no return for convicts banished from their homeland, VAN DIEMEN'S LAND was a feared and dreaded Australian penal colony at the end of the earth. Now it's 1822 and eight convicts have escaped from Macquarie Harbour in a fateful bid for freedom. This band of Irish, English, and Scottish thieves plummets into chaos as their plan fails and they are thrust into a harsh, unfamiliar landscape. With little food or equipment, they battle a merciless enemy – the unforgiving land, where God wields an axe. First-time director Jonathan auf der Heide draws parallels between Pearce's story and Dante's Inferno; and as Pearce and his comrades descend the circles of hell, they finally meet the Devil himself. It's an astonishing debut with strong performances by a talented cast, though the real heart of the film lies in the unyielding Tasmanian rainforest. (In Irish and 19th century English with subtitles) – B.B.