“At a certain point there’s enough stuff in your notes you start to feel it wants to be a story”: Fridtjof Ryder and Rory Alexander on Inland

After years of attending the London Film Festival as a young lad, Fridtjof Ryder finally makes his feature-length film directorial debut at the very same event, on 14^th October. Inland is a hybrid of modern fantasy and English folklore, basking in the autumnal season, and it follows a young man on a quest to unravel the mysterious disappearance of his mother.

This magical tale was captured in Ryder’s home county of Gloucestershire. The filmmaker has taken bits and pieces of his childhood experiences, and little scraps of writing material he has built over the years to weave together the story of Inland. The character of acclaimed actor Mark Rylance is inspired by the director’s former teacher, with whom he felt a particular father-figure bond. Rylance is accompanied by Rory Alexander, Kathryn Hunter, Shaun Dingwall and Alexander Lincoln.

The Upcoming caught up with Ryder and Alexander, discussing old English fairytales, their favourite sites in rural England and the collaborative effort put into the creation of the film.

Mae Trumata

Inland does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews and interviews from our London Film Festival 2022 coverage here.

For further information about the festival visit the official BFI website here.