Content warning: violence against women 

This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labour of the writers and actors currently on strike, films like this one wouldn’t exist.

Directed by Sébastien Drouin. Written by Sébastien Drouin, James Kermack & Andrew Desmond

Opening with beautiful shots of the Colorado Rockies, a voiceover describes local beliefs and makes mention of cannibalism. Meanwhile David (Allen Leech) stops at a nearby diner and narrowly avoids a violent altercation with a man named Vincent (Yan Tual) who is harassing the waitress – who’s also his ex-wife – Ana (Nina Bergman).

When David takes off into an incoming storm, it’s clear he is not equipped. His sedan doesn’t handle the weather well, and he doesn’t know how to drive in such relentless snow. Crashing into a drift, the powder piles up around him and he’s stuck in the cold, with no cell service, and at risk of dying if he tries to walk away. And to make matters worse, something is prowling outside in the sub-zero temperatures. 

Sébastien Drouin makes his directorial debut with this snowstorm survival story which is both a tense and surprising story of hope, disgust, fear and catharsis. Backstories of the characters are shared via expository monologues, which hurts the immersion in the story and reveal motivations that are somewhat stereotypical.

However the lensing – courtesy of DP Ryan Petey – is gorgeous, blending shots of the outdoors with interesting uses of car mirrors and binocular POVs. There are also obvious parallels to Misery, with a car crash in the Rockies, and more connections that become apparent as the narrative unfolds.

© Ariel Powers-Schaub

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