Samson and Delilah

Samson is mute and lives in a run-down shelter, kept apart from his peers by his petrol-sniffing addiction. His elder brother's ska band practices outside his bedroom, often disrupting his sleep. Delilah helps care for her frail grandmother, and together they create dot paintings that they sell to an art broker for modest sums.

Samson becomes infatuated with Delilah and awkwardly seeks her attention, following her around the community. He struggles to bridge the gap between his silence and her wary responses, while Delilah remains unsure how to deal with him. The tension highlights the fragile line between longing and intrusion.

Late one night, Delilah's frail grandmother dies, and the family blames Delilah for bringing misfortune. Her relatives thrash her with sticks, venting their anger at the loss. In a desperate act of rage, Samson hits his elder brother with a log to silence him, and the brother fights back, beating Samson in retaliation.

Desperate to escape their circumstances, Samson steals the community's car and drives with Delilah toward Alice Springs. They end up living rough under a bridge over the dry Todd River, where Gonzo, a chronic alcoholic homeless man, allows them to stay. The move shifts their world from community streets to the harsh city margins.

Delilah discovers that her dot paintings are on sale in a gallery for thousands of dollars, a startling revelation of her value. She tries to sell the works herself, but is rebuffed by both the gallery owner and the public. The rejection underlines the distance between her art and its market reality.

While they wander the streets, a group of white teenagers abduct Delilah by car. She is subjected to rape and beating during the ordeal, a traumatic event that leaves her shaken and isolated. Samson, meanwhile, is so intoxicated by petrol that he fails to notice her absence.

Delilah eventually finds her way back to Samson, but he is too intoxicated to notice or help her. The trauma pushes her toward petrol sniffing as a coping mechanism. The couple's bond remains strained as they drift further from their former selves.

One day, while walking inebriated, Delilah is struck by a car. When Samson sobers and realizes what happened, he believes she is dead and cuts off his hair in mourning. The incident shatters the already fragile pair and deepens Samson's grief.

Weeks pass with Samson living under the bridge, consumed by grief and tangled in petrol addiction. Delilah remains hospitalized, separated from him by circumstance, as both struggle to survive their losses. The distance between them grows more pronounced as time passes.

Delilah is released from hospital and returns with her brother to rescue Samson. They bring both Samson and Delilah back to their community, but an elder woman beats Samson for stealing the community's car. The harsh reception underscores the community's intolerance for their rule-breaking behavior.

Delilah takes Samson to a secluded area for rehabilitation, determined to help him overcome petrol addiction. Over time, he begins to recover and gradually returns to his original self with her support. The process is slow and uncertain, but a spark of hope emerges.

In a moment of joy, Samson hears his brother's ska music playing on the local radio, signaling a possible return to himself and a turn toward healing. The moment is small, but it marks a hopeful note that their lives might still change.