Canary Yellow

After the sudden death of his father in a car crash, Ryan, his 17-year-old son, finds himself isolated and alone as his mother falls apart. In an attempt to pick up the pieces that remain of his broken household, he attempts to shoulder the burden of caring for his mother and maintaining their home, putting aside his own grief to conserve the well-being of his family. But grief isn’t something we can ever truly control, and before long, cracks begin to form in Ryan’s facade. As Ryan fights this unwinnable battle, he is soon faced with another challenge as his Uncle attempts to reach out. Though at first unclear, we soon understand the distance between the pair as we realise the truth of the man’s past: that he was the driver in the crash that killed his father. As Ryan desperately clings to fragments of his former life, it is only when he is stripped of nearly everything that he realises he must confront his grief head-on and face the haunting demons of his past.

Directed by Lachlan Macansh, Canary Yellow leans on a strong ensemble — Ned Morgan, Emily Teede, Chad Traupmann — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2024.