Though I have no idea what it's like from the local perspective, to an outsiders eye it looks as though now is an interesting time to be making films in Australia. Though several of the big, high profile genre films have failed to find the international traction they were expected to post-Wolf Creek the country has turned out a string of small, sharp thrillers and indie dramas that just look to be dead solid. Films like Acolytes, Beautiful, Last Ride and Van Diemen's Land. And Van Diemen's Land takes me to where I want to go - to the resurgence of the hard edged Australian period drama, the Aussie western if you will, post The Proposition.

It's a genre pretty uniquely suited to Australia, a land with stark landscapes and an even starker history, and another very solid entry in the genre is just around the corner. Kriv Stenders' Lucky Country is due to hit Australian screens in mid-July. The just-released trailer starts off looking like a period-set family drama but things quickly take a darker turn and it is obvious something is lurking below the surface. Beautifully shot with a strong cast, this story of a failing farm and gold-seeking ramblers looks like a keeper. Check the trailer below the break!