Fortress

Sally is the sole teacher of a one-room school in the Outback who maintains calm under pressure while protecting her students. She demonstrates decisive leadership, quickly assessing danger and coordinating the children's actions. Her practical shrewdness and classroom experience become crucial to improvising a plan to survive and escape the kidnappers.

The armed kidnapper leader who wears a Father Christmas mask, using menace and violence to intimidate. He orders threats and murders to coerce compliance. His downfall comes as Sally and the children turn the tables on the siege.

The oldest pupil among the nine, Narelle shows quick thinking and bravery. She helps orchestrate a distraction to enable the group to move, demonstrating leadership beyond her years and a strong bond with her classmates.

A police detective who becomes part of the investigation at the school after the events unfold. He embodies professional skepticism and caution, unsettled by the children’s composed demeanor and the mystery of the case.

An elderly farmer living in the farmhouse who resists the intruders. His confrontation with the kidnappers ends tragically, marking a turning point in the fight for the children's safety.

The Old Woman is the farmer's wife, present at the farmhouse during the confrontation. She shares the couple’s vulnerability and ultimately becomes a casualty of the kidnapping aftermath.