AustLit

'NITRAM WAS QUIETLY released in late March of this year in the United States to select theaters and streaming services, but it did not get the attention it deserved, particularly for one of its lead actors, Judy Davis. The filmmakers seem to know the gravity of what they possess in her work here: the trailer for Nitram showcases a monologue that Davis delivers 40 minutes into the movie. Davis’s character, identified only as Mum, is in a hellish situation. When Davis takes a pause and looks off to the side during this monologue, she seems to be confronting the most confounding evil directly, with a measure of disgust and anger. But the particular evil she is up against is so finally beyond explanation that the challenge in her face fades a bit. The defensive set of her mouth tightens into a look of grief, and her eyes take on a wondering quality.' (Introduction)