The Dry 2021

Federal Agent Aaron Falk makes a return to his hometown of Kiewarra after being away for more than twenty years. He comes back to attend the funeral of his childhood friend, Luke, who is accused of brutally murdering his wife, Karen, and their son, Billy, before taking his own life, leaving behind his baby daughter, Charlotte. Persuaded by Luke’s grieving parents, Falk reluctantly agrees to stay longer to delve into the truth behind these tragic events.

As he investigates, Falk faces unrelenting hostility from the locals, who have not forgotten the tragic death of Ellie Deacon. Two decades ago, Ellie was a close friend of Falk’s and had been romantically involved with him. Following her mysterious drowning at the river—after she failed to meet Falk as promised—he was unjustly implicated in her death. Falk was forced to leave Kiewarra to escape harassment from Ellie’s father, who believed him responsible for her demise.

With assistance from local sergeant Greg Raco, Falk begins to piece together the details of the crime. They discover that the bullets used in the murder were of a different brand than what Luke had at home, a critical clue suggesting that a different shooter was involved. Their investigation leads them to Scott Whitlam, the school’s principal and Karen’s employer, who reveals that despite the school’s financial struggles, she appeared to maintain a good standing.

As they piece together evidence, this investigation also brings Falk to question [Grant Dow], Ellie’s brother, whom he suspects might have an ulterior motive for wanting the family’s farm. Falk’s findings come to a halt when he uncovers that local documents hinting at potential school funding are linked to embezzlement activities involving Whitlam, raising more questions about the true circumstances surrounding the nefarious events.

When Falk and Raco confront Whitlam at the school, they find that he has gone into hiding. Eventually, Whitlam confesses to his gambling addiction and reveals that he murdered Karen and her family to conceal his theft of school funds. In a moment of despair, he attempts to commit suicide by setting himself on fire, but it’s a desperate Falk and Raco who save him from the flames, preventing a potential bushfire. Although Raco is left injured, the case against Luke is conclusively dropped, restoring his name.

As Falk prepares to depart Kiewarra, he visits a significant spot near the river that he shared with Ellie. There, he uncovers her old backpack, which contains a journal revealing the dark truth of her life – a record of abuse by her father, indicating that he was, in fact, the true perpetrator of her tragic end. With a heavy heart, Falk walks back along the now dry riverbed, carrying her memories alongside him.