Described as “a portrait of life in a small town in rural Australia today”, The Valley (2026) is a thoroughly enjoyable, insightful, fly-on-the-wall style documentary looking into Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales that elicits questions on space, belonging and community.  

Within the film the ebbs and flows of rural life are beautifully depicted. We see two farmers looking over their crops, which are later destroyed half-way through the film. Towards the end of the film, the farmers are found discussing their crops for the next year, once again. This morose scene is contrasted against the fireworks, celebrations and dynamism that reveal the industry and community that keep the town alive. The council meetings and visits to the shops all depict a community fully entangled in one-another’s lives. From ceilidh dancing to Aboriginal ceremonies or school kids in fancy dress to church meetings, the film excellently depicts the multiculturalism and vibrancy of the town, despite its small populace. It elicits the viewer to contemplate the extent of their own community and the universal sense of belonging to a place.  

The contrast also displays the disparity between the silence and noise of the town, vividly depicting the nature of life in rural Australian towns. The bustling of cows along a farmers’ lane, or the machinery and thudding of the timber industry contrasts the occasional shots of an aged man alone in his house, or the faded transitions of people leaving the town hall. This excellently captures the transience and fleeting nature of human life. It creates a poignant melancholy which blends the monotony and silence of rural life with the surrounding natural beauty of the Valley, demonstrating its juxtaposing chaos and calm.  

Throughout the film the shots are elongated, often to over 10 seconds and lack any directional or editorial commentary, providing a true portrait into the town, but never losing your attention. The clever symmetry in many of the shots demonstrate the cinematographic sublimity of the film. However, at times, the lack of commentary obscures understanding of what is occurring, but perhaps that was my own preference and knowledge. After all, The Valley is not a commentary documentary and perhaps the film can instead be credited with making me want to know more.  

The Valley depicts the communities and industries in rural Australian towns in an unobtrusive yet visually stunning manner, providing a clever insight into the day-to-day reality of Kangaroo Valley. Its ability to elicit emotion out of the viewer—joy when the town places third for New South Wales and anger at the break-in to the Town’s Newspaper—without accompanying commentary or forced plot is a credit to the ingenuity of the team. Despite the length of its runtime and shots, the film grabs your attention, forcing you to ponder the meaning of the community, place and those around you and is well worth a watch.