Michelle Thrush and Justin Derickson

Source: Kristine Cofsky / Noah Asanias

Michelle Thrush and Justin Derickson

When production begins this week in the province of Saskatchewan on #Vanlife, it is believed the horror thriller will become the first Indigenous and Canadian independent film to shoot entirely in a virtual studio.

Trevor Cameron directs the story of young influencers who are lured into a violent cult and the project stars Michelle Thrush from TIFF 2022 selection Bones Of Crows and Justin Derickson from 2022 teen fantasy Monster High.

Germany’s Palatin Media is launching international sales talks at Toronto International Film Festival next month.

Anand Ramayya and Kelly Balon of KarmaFilm, Doug Cuthand (Big Bear), and Juliette Hagopian of Julijette are producing #Vanlife, which is scheduled to shoot from August 15 to September 11 inside the KarmaFilm and Volume Global virtual studio housed at the John Hopkins Regina Soundstage.

The film follows a pair of influencers whose relationship is at breaking point after a year on the road in a camper van. When they encounter a mysterious couple stranded on a desolate highway the male influencer is pulled into a diabolical trap after he bonds over his shared Indigenous heritage with one of the strangers.

The cast includes Dakota Ray Hebert, Tahmoh Penikett, and Joel Montgrand.

Filming will take place against the facility’s LED Volume Wall, which is a digital canvas that allows filmmakers to create any number of settings.

#Vanlife is produced in association with APTN, Indigenous Screen Office, Creative Saskatchewan, Manitoba Film & Music, Volume Global, Julijette, Karma Film, and Fun Republic Pictures.

David Cormican and Volume Global’s Christopher Rush Harrington and Michael Hamilton-Wright serve as executive producers.

“At its heart, #Vanlife is a horror thriller film that focuses on the dread of identity, trauma, and cults,” said Cameron, who is of Métis heritage and wrote the screenplay.

“It also throws a spotlight on the Indigenous population that is hidden in the mainstream. I’m excited about telling this story utilizing Canada’s largest volume wall and having the creative freedom to build the world of #Vanlife.”

KarmaFilm’s credits include the 2022 drama Donkeyhead, which Ava DuVernay’s distribution arm Array Releasing acquired and licenced to Netflix for the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Topics