The Clearing (2023) is an Australian thriller based on the book In the Clearing (2020) by JP Pomare.

The Pomare book was inspired by actual events—Australian Anne Hamilton-Byrne headed apolalptic sect called The Family, prominent in Melbourne from the 1960s for almost 30 years.

Hamilton-Byrne ‘adopted’ a number of children; she then controlled them beatings, drugs and withholding food.

The TV series (on Hulu & Disney) is centred on Freya who begins to confront memories of her childhood after a child is kidnapped in her hometown. Freya becomes determined to stop a cult from harming more children.