If the program for the Adelaide Film Festival is any indication then 2009 is poised to be an exceptional year for Australian film. And one of the strongest entries looks to be Jonathan auf der Heide's Van Diemens Land, a period thriller set in the penal colony that was Australia's roots.

1822. Van Diemen’s Land was a dreaded penal settlement, a point of no return at the end of the earth. Its entrance was Macquarie Harbour, also known as “Hell’s Gates.” A work party of eight convicts escape into the beautiful and brutal wilderness. This band of Irish, English and Scottish thieves are intent on freedom but totally unprepared for the hardships awaiting them in this dark and primeval place. Their flight thrusts them into a battle with harshest enemies known to man: the lush yet unforgiving land, and the darkness within their own hearts. As their food runs out and tensions escalate, they find themselves contemplating the unthinkable. God wields an axe and there can be only one survivor. This visually stunning debut by Jonathan auf der Heide is based on the true story of Alexander Pearce, Australia’s most notorious convict, whose story continues to haunt the conscience of Australian history.

The photography in this is bleached out and harsh, well suiting the content of the picture itself. Take a look at the teaser below the break.