It's taken more than three decades for Tracks to make it to the big screen, but after seeing the final product, it's safe to say it was worth the wait.
If Robyn Davidson's story, about her solo 2700km trek across Australia, were made in any other time, it wouldn't have resulted in the perfect filmmaking combination that has made this one of the must-see Australian films of the year.
Directed by John Curran, starring Mia Wasikowska and under the guidance of Emile Sherman's See-Saw Films (who produced The King's Speech), Tracks is truly special.
It's real, gritty and gives justice to Davidson's astonishing tale.
In 1977, at 27 years of age, Davidson embarked on her trek from Alice Springs to the western coast of Australia, with four camels and a dog. Her journey found new life as a National Geographic article (who sponsored her trip) and, in 1980, a book - a classic that has never gone out of print.
Those familiar with the book will know there are some deviations in the film, but the essence of Tracks courses through the celluloid. It's the kind of film that simmers in you afterward, irrespective of your age.
Mia Wasikowska again shows her acting prowess as Robyn. For a film so internally driven by Robyn's thoughts, it's completely enthralling. Wasikowska has a vulnerability, yet strength, that grasps your attention and keeps it.
In the moments of joy, leaping into a rain catchment, playing fetch with her beloved pup Diggity, you can't help but grin. The moments of fear or sadness also pack a punch.
Rick Smolan's photographs, which inspired the look of the film, are recaptured with astonishing accuracy. And Adam Driver (of TV series Girls fame), is perfectly cast to play the bespectacled snapper and polar opposite to Wasikowska's Robyn.
The vivid landscapes make you want to escape on your own personal adventure - although the squeamish might find the snakes, blistering sunburn and heat a deterrent (several people cried out in shock during the screening I attended).
It feels as though this tale has become even more relevant over time, particularly in an era of so much noise from social networking, email and mobiles.
Visceral and stunning, Tracks makes your heart plummet and soar. It's a remarkable, wonderful home-grown story.
* Tracks releases in Australian cinemas on Thursday.
