WAKE IN FRIGHT (1971)

WAKE IN FRIGHT, directed by Ted Kotcheff, is a harrowing Australian classic that dismantles the myth of the outback as a land of rugged freedom. The film follows a schoolteacher stranded in a small desert town, drawn into a cycle of drinking, gambling, and violence.

Its unflinching portrayal of toxic masculinity, colonial hangovers, and the claustrophobia of isolated communities make it not only a cornerstone of Australian New Wave cinema but also an international cult favorite, admired by directors like Scorsese. Critics praised its raw intensity and unsettling atmosphere, calling it one of the great lost masterpieces of world cinema until its rediscovery in the 2000s.