by FilmInk Staff
Principal photography has wrapped on Jump, the latest feature from acclaimed New Zealand filmmaker Tearepa Kahi (Muru, Mt. Zion).
Starring Bella Shepard (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy) and Luciane Buchanan (The Night Agent, Chief of War, Evil Dead Rise), the film follows young traveller Emma, whose search for escape and adventure in Southeast Asia becomes a brutal fight for survival. Pythons, tigers, giant centipedes and drug runners stand between her and any hope of returning home to her friends and family.
Written by Glenn Standring (6 Days, The Dead Lands) from an original story by Matthew Metcalfe and Glenn Standring, Jump is produced by Metcalfe (Ash, The Dead Lands, 6 Days) for GFC Films New Zealand alongside Tom Blackwell (Never Look Away, Stylebender) for Fightertown Australia.
An official New Zealand-Australia co-production, Jump brings together creative and production expertise from both sides of the Tasman. Co-production status allows projects to access funding and incentives available to domestic productions in each country, including the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR). The film is supported by the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) and the Queensland Government through Screen Queensland’s Screen Finance Fund, with additional support from the Gold Coast Film Commission, Invest Gold Coast and investment group Align Media Capital. US domestic sales are being handled by WME Independent.
“Jump is a survival thriller in every sense, dangerous, physical and relentless – what excites me most is the emotional journey at the heart of it. Emma is thrown into a world where every choice matters, with the film asking just how far someone will push themselves to survive,” says director Tearepa Kahi.
“Jump is all about taking the audience on a wild ride with our lead character, Emma, as she digs deep to survive everything thrown at her,” says producer Matthew Metcalfe.
NZFC Head of Funding, Ainsley Gardiner, says, “Tearepa is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive filmmakers, and Jump sees him bringing that creative voice to a compelling thriller with broad appeal.
“NZFC’s funding, through our Feature Film Production Investment and official co-production pathway, supports New Zealand filmmakers to pursue ambitious projects, build international relationships, and create films that can reach audiences here and overseas.”
More information, including release details, will be announced soon.
