No Exit: Regional Australian Atrophy in Kyle Davis' 'Dry Winter'

Dwelling on the day-to-day torpor of a young couple and their friends in a coastal South Australian town, Kyle Davis' ultra-low-budget feature is one of a number of recent Australian films that prioritise character psychology, landscape and sensory immersion over conventional narrative beats. Despite some aesthetic limitations, the film reflects both a distinctive artistic turn in our national cinema and deep-rooted cultural anxieties, argues James Robert Douglas.

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