The Tree

Set on the outskirts of a quiet country town, the family home sits beside a colossal Moreton Bay Fig tree, known locally as the Teviotville Tree. The tree dominates the yard, its branches sheltering the family while its roots threaten the foundations of the house. The surrounding town feels intimate and rustic, with daily life bending around the tree’s presence. The tree becomes a living centerpiece of the family's life and a source of conflict as it grows unchecked.

🌳 Grief

Grief threads through the film as Dawn navigates life after Peter's heart attack and death, trying to keep the family together. Simone channels her loss into a belief that her father speaks through the leaves of the tree, offering a fragile beacon of protection. The tree becomes both a solace and a pressure point, magnifying their emotional needs and fears. Dawn's journey to accept this new reality tests her practical resolve and maternal love.

✨ Belief

Simone's conviction that the father speaks through the tree blends with a child's natural imagination, turning the tree into a guardian figure. Dawn, initially skeptical, starts to find comfort in Simone's stories and the quiet conversations the tree seems to offer. The boundary between reality and fantasy blurs as the family leans on the tree for guidance and protection. This belief fuels the tension with the plumber, who sees only roots and risk, not sentient protection.

🌪️ Nature

Nature's power becomes a force both beautiful and destructive as the tree's growth infiltrates the home. The roots gnaw at foundations and the branches press against the walls, turning the house into a battleground between family and living wood. A big storm completes the tree's takeover, demolishing the house and forcing the family to abandon the area. The ending reframes nature as both a caretaker and a destroyer, challenging the family to adapt to a world where a tree can shelter and uproot them at once.