The Occupant

Altitude Film Sales has unveiled a first look at sci-fi thriller The Occupant, as the shoot wraps in Georgia and Northern Ireland. It is co-written and directed by Dutch filmmaker Hugo Keijzer. release will be in 2024.

It stars Ella Balinska as a woman stranded and alone in the Caucasus mountains. Producers are Raymond Van der Kaaij for Revolver Amsterdam, Kwesi Dickson and Jay Taylor for Electric Shadow Company and is co-produced by 20 Steps International.

The film was supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, the BFI Global Screen Fund, Northern Ireland Screen, ESC Studios and financing was led by Orogen Entertainment and Blair Ward, Anders Erdén and Lauren Case serve as executive producers.

“Putting The Occupant together with all our wonderful partners and shooting this film in winter condition in the beautiful and brutal mountains and remote landscapes of Georgia and wrapping the film in Northern Ireland was an intense and amazing experience,” said Van der Kaaij. “Ella Balinska delivered a profound and deeply emotional performance in this genre bending film, where a dramatic survival story meets psychological sci-fi.”

Jay Taylor and Kwesi Dickson added: “Shot in the epic landscapes of Georgia and the lush countryside of Northern Ireland, the results are fantastic. Ella’s performance is so brave and powerful, audiences will be taken on a thrilling and heart wrenching journey. The support we had from our UK partners: the BFI Global Screen Fund and NI Screen has enabled us to take this film to the next level.”