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Fantasia Fest 2026: Someone’s Daughter Review
Image Credit: Filmoption International
Loading...Directed by: Wiebke Von Carolsfeld
Written by: Doug Taylor & Wiebke von Carolsfeld
Starring:
Pascale Bussières – Sam
François Arnaud – Paul
Peter Outerbridge – Dr. Borden
Michael Greyeyes – Kent
Running Time: 96 minutes
Not Rated
The survival thriller is a time-tested stable of genre film. We love a battle of humanity against the wild be it against sharks, blizzards, the raging sea or any other example of Mother Nature’s untamed elements. The undeniable threat posed of the world outside of civilization often works well as a crucible through which mankind’s foibles and conflicts can be tested.
It’s no surprise then that the subgenre often provides a backdrop for a commentary on social issues. Someone’s Daughter takes exactly that tack, putting a forced trek through the wilderness up against the timely themes of violence against women what justice really means. The film, which had its world premiere at Fantasia International Film Festival, may put some off with a subtle approach to its themes, but works well as showcase for director Wiebke Von Carolsfeld and her cast.
The film gets off to a tense start, opening as a woman named Sam (Pascale Bussières) slowly wakes up bound and gagged in the backseat of a car. There’s a man (Peter Outerbridge) behind the wheel, driving them through the Canadian wilderness. When he stops to untie her and give her water, she makes a break for it but doesn’t get far.
That moment sets the stage for the film’s expectation-subverting tone, as our immediate identification of Sam as a victim gets some nuance. The man, as it turns out, is Dr. Borden, the father of a young woman who accused a man of sexually assaulting her years ago. Sam was the lawyer who defended the accused and got him off. And that daughter has now died. As a result, Borden has a plan and takes her out to a remote island, leaving her stranded.
Sam soon discovers that she’s not alone on the island; Paul (François Arnaud), her former client, is also there. The two haven’t seen each other since the trial, and they must work together to find their way back to civilization. Sam is clearly wary of Paul, who questions if Sam ever truly believed he was innocent. The two slowly begin to bond as they work to get themselves to safety, the question of Paul’s guilt hanging between them and bound to become a bigger issue for them both.
Someone’s Daughter is essentially a film made around two conceits, and it undeniably accomplishes one better than the other. The first is of two people with a tenuous connection, separated by years, who must reconnect as they find a way to survive the dangerous situation that they’re in. Von Carolsfeld does some fine work here, relying on the careful performances by Bussières and Arnaud make their dynamic believable. It’s a tricky proposition, as both characters are guarded in their own ways. Paul isn’t sure whether Sam trusts him, but he has to rely on her because she is the more capable of the two in the wild. And Sam, who is nursing an ankle injury suffered early on, similarly must lean on Paul (sometimes literally) despite her obvious wariness around him.
That brings us to the second conceit, which may be more of a problem for some people. The screenplay, co-written by von Carolsfeld and Doug Taylor, is exploring themes around the justice system, guilt, and culpability. It’s an evergreen topic, particularly in this era, and a particularly thorny one to boot. The question of Paul’s guilt regardless of the verdict looms over every moment of the film, though the screenplay uses a very light tough in engaging with it. It provides more of a backdrop for the tension between these two stranded people and while we will eventually get answers, it seems less interested in that part.
For some, this is going to be extremely frustrating, as von Carolsfeld almost sets up the question itself to seem bigger than it ends up being. Fortunately, the survival aspects and the performances quite capably carry the film. The trek through the forest is gorgeously shot by Léna Mill-Reuillard and absent any wandering bears or similar threats, Von Carolsfeld keeps the tension up through the dynamic between the characters.
Bussières is the true standout performance here. She gets us to see Paul through Sam’s eyes from the cautious distance she keeps at first, softening as she starts to trust him more and then progressing from there. Arnaud does good work as well, wearing an everyman sort of demeanor without ever completely shaking off the hints of darkness that make us question him.
As usually tends to be the case with dramatic thrillers, things ramp up in the third act. The action sequences are strong, though when the nuance falls to the wayside, the film’s intentions become clear and things flatten a bit. But much like the rest of the film, it is Bussières and Arnaud who keep things on the right path. It’s a challenging conclusion that doesn’t wrap things up neatly, which again may leave many unsatisfied but is (for good or ill) a stronger and more authentic conclusion than a more pat one would have been.
Fantasia International Film Festival takes place in Montreal, Quebec from July 16th through August 2nd.
