Ella Baliska to headline sci-fi thriller ‘The Occupant’
Keijzer will direct the feature version from a script he co-wrote with Philip M Howe and Roelof-Jan Minneboo.
“Charlie’s Angels” actor Ella Balinska is set to lead the cast in “The Occupant”, a sci-fi thriller feature. According to Deadline, the project is an expansion of Hugo Keijzer’s 2019 short film of the same name, which played at festivals including Sitges, Fantasia and Bifan. Keijzer will direct the feature version from a script he co-wrote with Philip M Howe and Roelof-Jan Minneboo.
In the film, Balinska will play Abby who, during a desperate quest for her dying sister’s survival, finds herself stranded and alone in the icy Russian wilderness where a mysterious helper may or may not be her salvation.
The director said he is happy to have the actor on board who has “all the makings of a superstar”. “The Occupant is both a visceral survival story and a gripping journey into the unknown, which will be an immense challenge both physically and mentally for our lead actress. “I’m thrilled to be working with Ella on this. She embraces the unique challenges that come with this project and she’s not afraid to reveal her most vulnerable side,” Keijzer added.
“The Occupant” will be backed by Raymond van der Kaaij for Revolver Amsterdam alongside Dutch producer Maurice Schutte and Elwin Looije. Production is planned for early next year with shooting in Georgia and Ireland. Balinska will next be seen in the upcoming “Resident Evil” series from Netflix.
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