TO KILL A WOLF

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres from writer/director Kelsey Taylor and Bright Iris Film Co. is the story of two people who find a connection in TO KILL A WOLF.

Jonah (Ivan Martin) lives a relatively quiet life out in the woods staying mostly to himself. Spending his days in the woods with a metal detector, he searches for the most unusual item. One day, on his usual trip through the forest, in the distance he sees a young girl suffering from hypothermia passed out on the ground. He decides to take her back to his cabin to get warm and rest. When he briefly leaves, the girl Dani (Maddison Brown) walks around the cabin until there is a knock at the door.

Arriving back at the cabin, Jonah arrives to find the local rancher (David Knell) sitting in the living room with Dani. It is immediately clear that the two men do not see eye to eye about the traps set in the woods as Jonah takes Dani into the forest with him to show why. Taking the girl to the bus stop the next day so she may go home, something tells him there is more to this girl. Asking where she was headed when he found her, Dani tells him as he begrudgingly takes her to Klamouth. Once there, it is clear there is more to the story that she hasn’t told him.

When Dani’s Aunt Jolene (Kaitlin Doubleday) and Uncle Carey (Michael Esper) come to get the girl, Jonah isn’t sure why he is uneasy. Feeling the need to keep an eye on her, he makes it clear that all she has to do is reach out to him and he will always be there for her. Coming from a recluse it means more than he could imagine.

Martin as Jonah gives us a look inside the life of a man who clearly has a magazine rack full of issues that he keeps to himself. Living far off the beaten path, his seclusion is a bit of a saving grace for him. When that routine is disruptive by Dani, it takes him down a path he never thought possible. Martin is superb in his portrayal of this man and done so well with each step he takes and closer I cheered for.

Brown as Dani is a young girl who has a story that is disturbing, deeply heart wrenching, and filled with strength. Feeling safe with Jonah may seem out of place but by the end it is completely understandable, at least it was for me. Brown gives us the conflict of a young girl dealing with grief on so many levels that feeling safe with a stranger makes sense. A beautiful performance.

Doubleday as Jolene is a woman with rage of her own. Having to take care of her mother’s property, not knowing where her sister is and becoming a parent to Dani – it is clear her reactions are history and stress laden. Esper as Carey is a man who clearly knows how to handle his wife and sides with Dani to make her more comfortable. The family already has its dark issues and more are about to come to the surface.

Other cast include Annika Cowels as Jennie, Julie Knell as Margie, Jessica Catalano as Sugar, Grant Jay as Donny and Dana Millican as Detective Coyne.

Bright Iris Film Co. founded in 2017, the agency offers distribution, marketing and publicity services that capitalize on a depth of industry experience and access as well as a wealth of enthusiasm for celebrating and amplifying the stories that connect us. In an ever-changing film industry, we champion collaborations that are nimble, innovative and thoughtful. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.brightirisfilm.co.

TO KILL A WOLF is a film about broken lives, running away, trying to find a safe space and accepting responsibility for mistakes made. The characters portrayed by Martin and Brown are intense, of few words and both are dealing with trauma by hiding. There is a feeling of wanting to reach through the screen and hug them both tightly to protect them from the outside world that does not understand either of them.

The chill in the air isn’t just the dampness of the forest but in the very souls of these characters. Turning the story upside down and inside out, there is never a moment to rest waiting to listen to their stories and see how it all pieces together their chance meeting. The wounds can either be new or old, the response of trauma is the same for them both giving the feeling of this connectiveness they need to feel safe. Just haunting on every level and perfect in its simplicity.

The film has been shown at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Bend Film (winner), Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Film Fest Knox, Tallgrass Film Festival, Austin Film Festival and Portland Film Festival.

In the end – there is redemption!