Australian director Charles Williams, who won the Short Film Palme d'Or in 2018 for his film All These Creatures at the Cannes Film Festival, returns with Inside, a new prison drama starring Guy Pearce.

All These Creatures tells the story of a young boy watching his father’s mental health unravel. A central theme of the short film is the notion that the father has no control over his condition - he has no free will. Born with a mental illness, he is trapped in his suffering and inevitably makes others suffer as well.

Nearly seven years later, Williams’ Inside expands on many of these themes, delving into the question: If someone is born with a mental illness or grows up in a traumatic environment and commits a crime, how should they be held accountable?

“Should people be punished for what they’ve done wrong? Can we really hold someone accountable when, in some sense, they may have been unlucky to be born the way they are? For example, a psychopath doesn’t choose to be born that way, but if a psychopath causes severe harm, you don’t want to be around them,” says Williams.

“But do we really need to punish them? Will it help them? Will it help anyone? These are complex questions, and I’m not advocating for any particular answer. I just think they’re worth wrestling with.”

Inside stars Vincent Miller as Mel Blight, a young man recently transferred from juvenile to adult prison; Guy Pearce as Warren Murfett, an older man who has spent years behind bars and has become estranged from his son; and Cosmo Jarvis as Mark Shepherd, a notorious criminal who, incarcerated since his youth, has turned to Christianity to atone for his sins.

Guy Pearce and Charles Williams on the set of Inside. Source: Bonsai Films.

Each of these characters have committed terrible acts and are struggling to live with their past. In one early scene, Mel attends a parole meeting, but in a moment of frustration, he picks up a chair and throws it at the window repeatedly.

At first, it’s unclear why he does this, but as the film unfolds, we realise that Mel is more terrified of being released than staying locked up. He doesn’t believe he deserves parole or that he has been punished enough. But what, then, constitutes just punishment?

The film explores these questions as each character grapples with their past and their future. Williams highlights the moral complexity of the dilemma: “At what age do you hold someone accountable? If a five-year-old shoots a gun, do they understand the consequences? What about a 15-year-old with the mental capacity of a five-year-old due to severe abuse or fetal alcohol syndrome?”

“There’s a complicated scale here, and all of these factors feed into the characters. Each character tries to change in their own way,” Williams explains. “Guy’s character, Warren, is pragmatic and existential. He wants to repair his relationship with his son and takes self-help courses. Meanwhile, Cosmo’s character, Mark, seeks redemption through spirituality, trying to leave behind his past self.”

The tension and drama intensify when Pearce’s character, Warren, tells Mel to murder Mark. This moment sends ripples through the narrative, presenting alternate histories for each character based on the outcome of the planned murder.

Williams masterfully weaves these intricate character arcs into a gripping prison drama. He spent extensive time researching Victorian prisons, even enlisting real prison security guards and former inmates as extras to lend authenticity to the setting.

“One of my favorite things about movies is when you’re immersed in a world where the people involved truly know it,” says Williams. “It helps the audience believe in the reality of the film. I spent four years researching Victorian prisons because each state in Australia has slightly different rules.”

“I also enjoy working with non-professional actors. They’ve been living their roles their entire lives. There’s an authenticity you can’t get from trained actors. I encourage them to tell me if something doesn’t feel real, and we’ll adjust.”

Inside is worth watching just for the three stellar performances - Pearce and newcomer Vincent Miller are perfectly matched to their roles. But it’s Cosmo Jarvis’ performance as Mark that truly stands out. Jarvis transforms into his character, a complex, guilt-ridden man who desperately wants to be good but just can’t seem to get there, communicated expertly through Jarvis’ eyes and his subtle shifts in facial expression.

A still from Inside with Cosmo Jarvis (top) and Vincent Miller (bottom). Source: Bonsai Films.

Beyond the performances, Inside features an entertaining script, stunning cinematography, and raises many questions. What is a just punishment for a criminal? Can someone truly change? And if so, does the guilt of their past actions ever fade?

“These are fascinating questions,” Williams says. “They branch out into broader themes about how we deal with the people we become. We all wrestle with behaviors we’re not proud of. Why can’t we change those things? And when we do, we often wonder: What changed? Did I change, or was this always going to happen? These questions lead to interesting human behaviour, and that’s where great characters come from.”

Inside is now in cinemas. Click here for showtimes.