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In the hot, dry outback of Queensland, Australia, temperamental sheep rancher John Woldring (William McInnes) trudges through his solitary life. Each day is exactly like the last, and that’s precisely the way he wants it, with just his loyal dog, Elvis, for company.
But one day, his uncomplicated life is shattered by the indecipherable screams of a dark-haired woman, stumbling up his dirt drive, filthy, beaten, barefoot and wearing only an oversized yellow rubber raincoat. At first he freezes, not wanting to allow this unnerving intrusion into his world, but he finally picks her up and takes her inside to care for her. The woman, named Tahmeena (Monic Hendrikx), is terrified of him, and with good reason—she’s an Afghan refugee who speaks little English, and has just escaped from imprisonment at a nearby brothel.
Over the next few weeks, the two perform the most hesitant of interpersonal dances, overcoming the language barrier and learning to trust a little. Eventually, they grow fond of each other. She cooks and cleans, and he teaches her how to run the ranch—and they both start to laugh again. Beneath this delicate bond, however, are secrets and pain they each carry that threaten their long-term relationship. What’s more, her captors suspect they know where she’s hiding, and they want her back–putting both of their lives in great danger.
Unfinished Sky is a romantic drama and thriller, the intense story of two people with tortured histories trying to learn to trust each other while the world around them shifts in terrifying ways.
This film tells a story on several levels: It makes a strong statement about the plight of political refugees, particularly women and children. It shines an unrelenting light on the brutality of violence. But at its core, it is a beautiful and deeply touching film, some scenes almost translucent. The best moments depict the two getting to know each other, slowly, awkwardly moving toward each other, then retreating, yelling—then, trying again and again, for that elusive glimmer of happiness. It’s an all-too-familiar process, captured with eloquence here.
Though Unfinished Sky is not always easy to watch, it’s beautifully acted, thoughtful, and bittersweet. It is, most of all, a brilliant study of how two people attempt, together, to grieve, resolve, and heal the trauma in their lives.
(Note: The film contains some very disturbing depictions of violence, and it is not for children.)
