SXSW London 2025: The Occupant
Some of the most engrossing films are those which use simple premises to tackle lofty ideas in impactful ways. Director Hugo Keijzer’s The Occupant is one such work that strives to do just that by blending survival thriller and sci-fi to tell an affecting story of grief and acceptance. Despite its bold vision, the different genres never fully merge, resulting in some unfulfilled potential.
Holding on to the hope that her terminally ill sister can still be cured, geologist Abby (Ella Balinski) takes a job in the Georgian Taiga to raise funds for an experimental treatment. Disaster strikes when a helicopter crash strands her in the middle of the frozen wilderness. Salvation comes when Abby contacts crashed American pilot John (Rob Dalaney) over the radio, who’s within a few days’ hiking distance and may hold the key to their rescue. Encouraged by her new companion, Abby braves the harsh environment to get back home to her sister. As she treks further into the snowy wasteland, events take an ominous turn when she suspects that John may have ulterior motives.
From the moment that Abby sets out, The Occupant becomes a taut survival thriller. Nail-biting sequences of watching her scale a precarious rockface, holding her breath to avoid detection from a Russian soldier, and tentatively crossing a frozen lake as the ice groans under every step will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. Keijzer nails the atmosphere. The constant sound of the biting winds combined with the inescapable vastness of the terrain emphasises the cold and isolation the protagonist has been thrust into.
Although Abby spends most of the film battling the elements, the main source of drama lies in her internal conflict over her sister’s mortality. Balinski’s stunning performance effortlessly conveys the weight of the difficult emotions that have consumed her, which leads to a touching conclusion.
Where The Occupant stumbles is in the sci-fi elements woven throughout Abby’s journey. Although their inclusion often nudges the plot in fascinating directions, they’re not fully developed enough and come into play too late for them to make as big of a mark as they could have.
While The Occupant doesn’t quite land all its genre elements, Keijzer has created an effective exploration of grief that’s fronted by an extraordinary Balinski.
Andrew Murray
The Occupant is released in select cinemas on 1st September 2025.
Watch the trailer for The Occupant here:
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