Unfinished Sky

(M) William McInnes, Monic Hendrickx

Unfinished Sky follows other successful films like The Jammed that are giving a human — and Australian — face to refugees and victims of sex trafficking.

This time we are taken into rural Queensland where John (William McInnes), a farmer and man of few words, has his solitary existence pierced by Tahmeena (Monic Hendrickx), a distressed woman who wanders onto his farm close to death.

John has few options but to take her in until she is well enough to get out of his life. But during her recovery the suspicious comments of locals looking for their “cleaning lady” — and his own growing feelings for Tahmeena — make it impossible for him to turn her out as somebody else’s problem.

In this remake of the Dutch film The Polish Bride (1998), Monic Hendrickx returns to the lead role, this time as an Afghani woman separated from her daughter.

Part political thriller and part romance, Unfinished Sky blends genres seamlessly and remains believable through each turn.

While the ending is perhaps a little too neat, the journey to get there is anything but conventional and well worth your attention.

Lyndal Irons