Soldier Bee

Jodie Baxter is a Captain returned home from Afghanistan after being injured in a rigged booby trap that has left her scarred both physically and on a deep psychological level. She struggles to reconnect with her husband on a sexual and emotional accord and begins to realise the distance between herself and her child as her daughter hides pivotal moments of puberty that a mother should be there to support. In the middle of moving out of their Service Family Accommodation, Jodie escapes to her one place of solace, a hotel where she resides to be free and remember the past. It is there she notices and becomes obsessed with a couple, an abusive older man and a young prostitute who he humiliates and debases. Following them back to their room, Jodie enters into the situation and it is through an extreme act of violence, lust and in her eyes 'protection' she has a revelation concerning what she has experienced and what has been haunting her deep within her cognisance.

Directed by Alex Hardy, Soldier Bee leans on a strong ensemble — Shauna Macdonald, Jamie Laird, George Newton — 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 screen titles of 2017.