New Zealand-born, Sydney-based filmmaker Samuel Van Grinsven’s psychological thriller Went Up the Hill will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) after being included in today’s official line-up announcement.
An Australia/New Zealand co-production, the film picks up with main character Jack (Dacre Montgomery) as he ventures to remote New Zealand to attend the funeral of his estranged birth mother and meets her grieving widow, Jill (Vicky Krieps). However, his search for answers becomes dangerous when his mother’s ghost returns to inhabit both her son and widow, instigating a life-threatening nocturnal dance between the three of them.
Van Grinsven wrote the script with Jory Anast, with Samantha Jennings and Kristina Ceyton producing for Causeway Films, alongside Vicky Pope for POP Film. According to Deadline, the film finished its New Zealand shoot in October last year, receiving major production investment from the New Zealand Film Commission and Screen Australia, along with financial support from Screen CanterburyNZ, Fulcrum Media Finance, the New Zealand Government’s Screen Production Rebate, and Head Gear Films.
Went Up The Hill is Van Grinsven’s second feature, following 2019’s Sequin in a Blue Room, which he also wrote with Anast.
It will screen under the special presentations thread of this year’s event, which takes place from September 5–15.
In a statement to IF, Jennings, Ceyton, and Pope said they were “so honoured” by the film’s inclusion.
“Samuel’s beautiful unique vision will be shared with the world for the first time, bringing this haunting New Zealand- Australian co-production to the big screen,” they said.
“Huge thanks to our investors, incredible cast, and wonderful crew.”
As previously announced, Rebel Wilson’s musical comedy The Deb has been chosen to close the festival, despite an ongoing legal dispute.
Other Australians in the mix include director Justin Kurzel, whose crime drama The Order, starring Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult, will have its North American premiere.
In the gala section, Ron Howard will debut his Queensland-shot survival thriller Eden, featuring Paul Gleeson, Richard Roxburgh, and Toby Wallace, and there will be the North American premiere of Paul Schrader’s Oh Canada, starring Jacob Elordi.
Earlier this month, TIFF announced that actor and producer Cate Blanchett would receive the Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award at this year’s event.
Find the full line-up here.