Trailer: THE BABADOOK’s Jennifer Kent Returns in Harrowing THE NIGHTINGALE
Jonathan Barkan
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A trailer has been released for IFC Films’ The Nightingale, which was written and directed by The Babadook‘s Jennifer Kent. A testament to measured pacing, the trailer gives little away but tells more than enough. From the muted colors to the deliberate lighting, this trailer oozes atmosphere against a tried and true horror subgenre story of revenge and reclaiming one’s own life.
“Set during the colonization of Australia in 1825, the film follows Clare, a 21-year-old Irish convict. Having served her 7-year sentence, she is desperate to be free of her abusive master, Lieutenant Hawkins who refuses to release her from his charge. Clare’s husband Aidan retaliates and she becomes the victim of a harrowing crime at the hands of the lieutenant and his cronies. When British authorities fail to deliver justice, Clare decides to pursue Hawkins, who leaves his post suddenly to secure a captaincy up north. Unable to find compatriots for her journey, she is forced to enlist the help of a young Aboriginal tracker Billy who grudgingly takes her through the rugged wilderness to track down Hawkins. The terrain and the prevailing hostilities are frightening, as fighting between the original inhabitants of the land and its colonisers plays out in what is now known as ‘The Black War.’ Clare and Billy are hostile towards each other from the outset, both suffering their own traumas and mutual distrust, but as their journey leads them deeper into the wilderness, they must learn to find empathy for one another, while weighing the true cost of revenge.“
Written and directed by Jennifer Kent, The Nightingale stars Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin, Baykali Ganambarr, Damon Herriman, and Ewen Leslie.
