Into the Forest

Last updated
Into the Forest
Into the Forest - film poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Patricia Rozema
Written byPatricia Rozema
Based onInto the Forest
by Jean Hegland
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Daniel Grant
Edited by Matthew Hannam
Music by Max Richter
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • A24
  • Elevation Pictures
Release dates
  • September 12, 2015 (2015-09-12)(TIFF)
  • June 3, 2016 (2016-06-03)(Canada)
Running time
101 minutes [1]
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10,000.
Box office$37,418. [2]

Into the Forest is a 2015 Canadian apocalyptic independent drama film, written and directed by Patricia Rozema, based on the 1996 Jean Hegland book and starring Elliot Page and Evan Rachel Wood as orphaned survivalist sisters in a forest without electrical power.

Contents

Plot

In the near future, two teenage sisters, Nell and Eva, live in a remotely located home with their father in a forest. There is a massive, continent-wide power outage that appears to be part of a region-wide technological collapse. The car battery is drained, so they are left stranded for days. Their father eventually gets the car working and they make it to the nearest town, where they buy supplies including gas from a man named Stan. Eva later attends dance class while her sister meets up with her boyfriend, Eli. [3] Returning home, they see a stranded car and the girls' father offers to help the passengers, but the family move on after they brandish guns. The father says that they will not return to town until the power is restored. Later, while cutting down a tree, he cuts his leg badly with a chainsaw. Knowing he is bleeding to death, he tells the girls to take care of each other and love one another. They bury him where he died in the forest.

At two months without power, the girls are low on food. They get by using the skills their father taught them, though they miss the creature comforts they used to enjoy. For example, Eva must dance to a metronome since she can no longer dance to music.

Eli arrives one night, having walked there looking for Nell. He says that all the surrounding houses are abandoned. Nell experiences sex for the first time with Eli. Later, he says there is electricity, food, order and jobs again in Boston. He convinces Nell to go with him but she returns after only one night away, unwilling to leave Eva alone. Nell researches plants for food and medicine and forages. When Nell is certain she is not pregnant, she and Eva celebrate.

Six months pass without power. While Nell is foraging in the forest, Eva is surprised by Stan while chopping wood. He assaults and rapes her, then steals most of the remaining gas and the car. As a result, Nell boards up the house and brings a gun with her whenever venturing outside while Eva stays indoors. At eight months without power, Eva experiences morning sickness and realizes she is pregnant. Nell suggests an abortion but to her surprise, Eva wants to have the baby. Eva explains that she doesn't think any baby should be unwanted, that kids aren't responsible for their parents' actions, that it is its own person, and that she does not think she can lose anything else now. To help nourish Eva during her pregnancy, Nell hunts and butchers a pig.

Fifteen months pass without power. Several roof beams break during a storm and Eva goes into labor. The continually weakening house creaks and groans as both the storm and Eva's labor progresses. Fearing the house will collapse, the sisters flee to a hollowed out tree stump that once served as their play house where Eva gives birth to a baby boy and rejoices. Returning to their ruined home, Eva decides to burn the house down with the remaining gas so they will be safe because anyone passing by will think they died in a fire. They gather all the food and items important to them: books, keepsakes and a family photo. At nightfall, they set the house ablaze, then journey into the forest.

Cast

Production

Director Megan Griffiths was considered to direct, but was ultimately passed on by the producers. [4] On October 21, 2013, Elliot Page and Evan Rachel Wood joined the cast. [5] Principal photography and production began on July 28, 2014. [6] On August 27, 2014, Max Minghella and Callum Keith Rennie joined the cast. [7] Elliot Page learned how to butcher a pig in order to perform the process well in the movie. [8] Evan Rachel Wood's methodical approach to getting into Eva's character included eating extremely small portions of food. During the assault scene, the pressure from her screaming caused the blood vessels in her eyes to burst. [9]

Release

The film premiered in the Special Presentation section at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2015. [10] [1] Shortly after, A24 and DirecTV Cinema acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film, it premiered on DirecTV before showing theaters. [11] In December 2015, the film was announced as part of TIFF's annual Canada's Top Ten screening series of the ten best Canadian films of the year. [12] It was released theatrically in 15 theaters in Canada on June 3, 2016 and in the United States on July 29. [13]

Reception

Box office

The film played for one week in 15 theaters where it grossed nearly $10,000. [2]

Critical response

Into the Forest received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 76%, based on 51 reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Into the Forest grounds its familiar apocalyptic framework with a relatable look at the bond between two sisters, compellingly brought to life by [Elliot] Page and Evan Rachel Wood." [14] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 59 out of 100, based on 18 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Once and Again</i> 1999 American family drama television series

Once and Again is an American family drama television series that aired on ABC from September 21, 1999, to April 15, 2002. It depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father. It was created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan Rachel Wood</span> American actress (born 1987)

Evan Rachel Wood is an American actress. She is the recipient of a Critics' Choice Television Award as well as three Primetime Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe Award nominations for her work in film and television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Bell</span> English actor (born 1986)

Andrew James Matfin Bell is an English actor. He rose to prominence for his debut role in Billy Elliot (2000), for which he won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, becoming one of the youngest winners of the award. He is also known for his leading roles as Tintin in The Adventures of Tintin (2011) and as Ben Grimm / Thing in Fantastic Four (2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patricia Rozema</span> Canadian film director, writer and producer

Patricia Rozema is a Canadian film director, writer and producer. She was part of a loosely-affiliated group of filmmakers to emerge in 1980s from Toronto known as the Toronto New Wave.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Mara</span> American actress (born 1983)

Kate Rooney Mara is an American actress. She is known for work in television, playing reporter Zoe Barnes in the Netflix political drama House of Cards, computer analyst Shari Rothenberg in the Fox thriller series 24 (2006), wronged mistress Hayden McClaine in the FX miniseries American Horror Story: Murder House (2011), Patty Bowes in the first season of the FX drag ball culture drama series Pose (2018), and a teacher who begins an illicit relationship with an underage student in the FX miniseries A Teacher (2020). For the latter, she received an Independent Spirit nomination for Best New Scripted Series as an executive producer.

<i>Wilby Wonderful</i> 2004 Canadian film

Wilby Wonderful is a 2004 comedy-drama film directed by Daniel MacIvor, and starring James Allodi, Maury Chaykin, Paul Gross, Rebecca Jenkins, Sandra Oh, Elliot Page, Callum Keith Rennie, and Daniel MacIvor. Wilby Wonderful tells the story about 24 hours in the life of the small town of Wilby, where the municipal festival is in preparation. It focuses on the changes occurring in the lives of several different inhabitants as development comes to the island and threatens to change the world around them. The title comes from a sign created to promote the town; comically, it has been painted wrong, and says "Wilby Wonderful", as opposed to "Wonderful Wilby".

<i>Double Happiness</i> (film) 1994 Canadian film

Double Happiness is a 1994 Canadian drama film directed by Mina Shum, co-produced by the National Film Board of Canada. The film stars Sandra Oh as Jade Li, an actress struggling to assert her independence from the expectations of her Chinese Canadian family. Callum Keith Rennie also stars as Mark, Jade's love interest.

<i>The Life Before Her Eyes</i> 2007 American film

The Life Before Her Eyes is a 2007 American thriller film directed by Vadim Perelman. The screenplay was adapted by Emil Stern from the Laura Kasischke novel of the same name. The film stars Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. It was released on April 18, 2008, and revolves around a survivor's guilt from a Columbine-like event that occurred 15 years previously, which causes her present-day idyllic life to fall apart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nell Newman</span> American actress

Elinor Teresa Newman is an American former child actress who performed under the name of Nell Potts. She is an environmentalist, biologist, and a prominent supporter of sustainable agriculture, who became an entrepreneur when she founded an organic food and pet food production company, Newman's Own Organics.

<i>Franks Cock</i> 1993 short film by Mike Hoolboom

Frank's Cock is a 1993 Canadian short film written and directed by Mike Hoolboom. The eight-minute production stars Callum Keith Rennie as an unnamed narrator who discusses his relationship with his partner, Frank. The two met while the narrator was a teenager and spent nearly ten years together. Frank has since been diagnosed with AIDS, and the narrator fears his death. The story was based on the experience of one of Hoolboom's friends at People With AIDS, which Hoolboom adapted after receiving a commission to create a short film about breaking up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan Williams (actor)</span> Canadian actor

Evan Martin Williams is a Canadian actor. He made his screen debut playing secondary role in the 2006 dance drama film Save the Last Dance 2 before starring as Kelly Ashoona in the CTV teen drama series, Degrassi: The Next Generation (2008–2009). From 2015 to 2018 he starred as Chevalier de Lorraine in the historical drama series, Versailles. In 2023 he began starring as Elliot Augustine in the Hallmark Channel drama series, The Way Home.

Leonard Farlinger is a Canadian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Farlinger and his wife, Jennifer Jonas, are partners in the production firm New Real Films.

<i>October Gale</i> (film) 2014 film

October Gale is a Canadian thriller film written and directed by Ruba Nadda. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival in the Special Presentations section of the festival. It was acquired by IFC Films and received a release in March 2015. The film stars Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman, and Tim Roth. Clarkson had previously worked with Nadda on Cairo Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Toronto International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 40th annual Toronto International Film Festival was held from 10 to 20 September 2015. On 28 July 2015 the first wave of films to be screened at the Festival was announced. Jean-Marc Vallée's Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts was the opening night film; Mr. Right by Paco Cabezas was the closing night film.

<i>Goon: Last of the Enforcers</i> 2017 Canadian film

Goon: Last of the Enforcers is a 2017 Canadian sports comedy film directed by Jay Baruchel in his directorial debut and written by Baruchel and Jesse Chabot. A sequel to Goon (2011), the film stars Seann William Scott, Baruchel, Liev Schreiber, Alison Pill, Elisha Cuthbert, Wyatt Russell, Marc-André Grondin and Kim Coates.

<i>Born to Be Blue</i> (film) 2015 drama film

Born to Be Blue is a 2015 internationally co-produced drama film directed, produced and written by Robert Budreau. The film stars Ethan Hawke and Carmen Ejogo. It was shown in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival. The film is about American jazz musician Chet Baker, portrayed by Hawke.

Jean Hegland is an American novelist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Sarah Stone</span> Canadian actress (born 1997)

Julia Sarah Stone is a Canadian actress. She began studying theater at the age of six, and appeared in a number of school plays over the following years. After booking a small part in an independent short film in 2009, she won her breakthrough role in the 2011 feature The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom, for which she received a Young Artist Award. Stone was subsequently cast in the pilot episode of the CW series Emily Owens, M.D.; the third season of AMC's The Killing; and a number of Canadian-produced independent films.

<i>Allure</i> (2017 film) 2017 film by Carlos and Jason Sanchez

Allure is a 2017 Canadian thriller film written and directed by Carlos and Jason Sanchez in their feature film debut. It stars Evan Rachel Wood, Julia Sarah Stone, and Denis O'Hare.

<i>Backspot</i> Canadian sport drama film

Backspot is a 2023 drama film directed by D. W. Waterson in their feature-length directorial debut and stars Devery Jacobs, Kudakwashe Rutendo, and Evan Rachel Wood. Jacobs also serves as producer, along with Waterson, through their Night is Y production company.

References

  1. 1 2 Scott Tobias (2015-09-13). "'Into the Forest' Review: Elliot Page, Evan Rachel Wood Play Sisters in Survival Mode". Variety. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  2. 1 2 "Into The Forest". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  3. ↑ Tobias, Scott (2015-09-13). "Toronto Film Review: 'Into the Forest'". Variety. Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  4. ↑ Griffiths, Megan. "I Wasn't Hired to Direct Into the Forest – Here's What I Thought of the Film" . Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  5. ↑ "Ellen Page, Evan Rachel Wood Head 'Into the Forest'". The Hollywood Reporter. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "On The Set For 7/28/14: 'Ted 2′ Starts For Universal Pictures, 'The Greens Are Gone' Wraps ‹ SSN Insider". Archived from the original on 4 July 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Max Minghella and Callum Keith Rennie Join 'Into the Forest' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  8. ↑ Into the Forest (2015) - IMDb , retrieved 2022-03-06
  9. ↑ "Evan Rachel Wood on Into the Forest and Revolutionary Roles for Women", Time, 21 July 2016, retrieved 4 May 2023
  10. ↑ "Into the Forest". TIFF.net. 2015-07-24. Archived from the original on 2016-07-16. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike (2015-09-15). "DirecTV And A24 In Exclusive Negotiations For 'Into The Forest' At Toronto Fest". Deadline. Retrieved 2015-09-19.
  12. ↑ "TIFF reveals Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival line-up". The Globe and Mail , December 8, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Ellen Page on Into the Forest's intimate apocalypse". CBC Radio. June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Into the Forest (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Into the Forest". Metacritic . Retrieved July 8, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.