Samson and Delilah has as much in common with biblical largesse as, say, Ashton Kutcher. Rabbit Proof Fence is a better comparison, even if decades separate these stories of harm at the hand of authority.

In a broken Aboriginal community, a bored, loutish boy spends wasted days sniffing petrol and trying to impress Delilah. But he has no place in her future – her commitment is to her Aunty. When Aunty dies and Delilah is vilified for her loss, Samson takes them to town with a plan that extends no further than sleeping rough with a jar of petrol. Their lot quickly tumbles from unbearable to untenable.

If the distressing journey that is Samson and Delilah could ever be considered a delight, then that’s what Thornton has achieved.

Vibrant cinematography and sparse dialogue – the principles speak barely ten words – illuminates the emptiness of their lives in contrast to the failed richness of their world.

Newcomers McNamara and Gibson bring an unexpected intensity to the film, an unusual love story that certainly won’t satisfy rom-com audiences looking for, say, Ashton Kutcher.

Thornton’s desolate style is too challenging for that. But in daring to speak about an indigenous reality with unpalatable honesty, he has successfully staked out new territory in Australian cinema.