▁Down river ▁is ▁an ▁expansion ▁of ▁Sc ic l una ' s ▁short ▁film ▁The ▁Wild ing , ▁which ▁won ▁the ▁I ris ▁Prize ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 ; ▁it ▁was ▁developed ▁through ▁Screen ▁Australia ' s ▁Spring board ▁production ▁fund ing ▁and ▁features ▁Re ef ▁Ireland ▁in ▁the ▁lead ▁role . ▁ ▁Release ▁and ▁reception ▁ ▁Prem iere ▁The ▁film ▁had ▁its ▁premi ere ▁at ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival ▁( MI FF ) ▁on ▁ 7 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁with ▁much ▁public ity . ▁It ▁sold ▁out ▁all ▁three ▁scheduled ▁screen ings , ▁and ▁the ▁festival ▁added ▁a ▁fourth ▁screen ing ▁to ▁satisfy ▁ticket ▁demand . ▁Down river ' s ▁international ▁premi ere ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁Toronto ▁International ▁Film ▁Festival ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁It ▁was ▁released ▁the atr ically ▁in ▁Australia ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁response ▁Down river ▁received ▁many ▁positive ▁reviews ▁from ▁critics ▁on ▁its ▁Australian ▁premi ere . ▁Ali ▁Sch n abel ▁from ▁The ▁Age ▁described ▁it ▁as ▁" br ut al , ▁g rit ty ▁and ▁un fl inch ing ▁[...] ▁populated ▁with ▁real ▁characters ". ▁Laura ▁Hend erson ▁from ▁The ▁Con vers ation ▁said ▁it ▁was ▁" a ▁tang led , ▁t ense ▁and ▁mer cur ial ▁work ▁[...] ▁a ▁vis ually ▁st unning ▁piece , ▁with ▁super b ▁performances ▁and ▁an ▁utter ly ▁g ri pping ▁story ". ▁ ▁Acc ol ades ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁List ▁of