Lake Mungo

Alice is a teenage girl whose disappearance at a dam triggers the Palmers' grief and a search for truth. Through the family’s videos and later footage, her presence haunts the narrative and fuels questions about what really happened. Her dreams of drowning become a recurring motif that ties her fate to the lake setting. The investigation centers on understanding who Alice was and what she saw in her final days.

Alice's father, a pragmatic figure who seeks clear answers. He pushes for exhumation and DNA testing, driving the search for truth even when results complicate the narrative. His reactions anchor the family’s attempt to regain control over a traumatic event. His presence highlights the strain between rational investigation and emotional pain.

Alice’s mother, deeply affected by the loss and torn between faith and doubt. She pursues closure, including seeking a psychic reading, yet remains wary of easy answers. Her journey underscores the tension between belief and evidence in the face of tragedy. By the end, she seeks to move forward, leaving the past behind.

Alice’s older brother, a tech-savvy teen who records the family’s life with cameras. He later confesses to faking footage to give the family a reason to exhume Alice and find closure, revealing the power and danger of manipulated imagery. His actions probe the ethics of deception in pursuit of emotional resolution. He embodies the film’s commentary on how media can blur truth and memory.

A self-proclaimed psychic who holds séances for the family. His insight is limited, and he cannot fully explain the sightings they experience. Ray’s involvement illustrates the allure of supernatural explanations and the tension between faith and empirical evidence. His presence adds a layer of ambiguity about what is real and what is perceived.

A neighbor who had a close relationship with Alice, later revealed to be involved in a taboo situation with her and his wife. A hidden videotape of the threesome emerges, complicating perceptions of Alice’s life and the community around her. His actions contribute to the film’s exploration of secrets and consequences. The family’s pursuit of truth inevitably touches uncomfortable private matters.

Brett Toohey’s wife, involved in the hidden tape that becomes a key plot point. The revelation of their private life adds another layer to the mystery and the burden of communal judgment. She embodies the idea that adults’ secrets can profoundly affect a family from the outside. Her character helps to show how truth is entangled with social consequences.

Alice’s boyfriend, who provides mobile phone footage that becomes part of the broader evidence. His recordings contribute to the story’s sense of immediacy and memory. The school-trip video shows Alice burying something at a tree, heightening the mystery. His material helps propel the Palmers toward Lake Mungo in search of answers.