Kier-La Janisse’s ‘The Occupant Of The Room’ wraps principal photography

EXCLUSIVE: Principal photography has wrapped in the Ontario city of Mississauga on The Occupant Of The Room, the narrative feature debut of Canadian author and film programmer Kier-La Janisse. 

Set to be ready for markets and festivals this autumn, the film is based on the classic ghost story by English author Algernon Blackwood, adapted for the screen by Janisse. Don McKellar stars as a schoolteacher whose late-night arrival at a hotel in the Alps leads to a sleepless night full of uncanny occurrences. 

Also in the cast are Ben Petrie and Delphine Roussell, and cinematography is by Karim Hussain. 

The project is produced by Ruby Mannequin Films’ Liane Cunje and Shannon Hanmer and Janisse’s company Spectacular Optical. David Gregory and Carl Daft of Severin Films and Rob Cotterill of Yer Dead Productions are the executive producers. 

Janisse previously directed 2021 horror documentary Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror, which won the Midnighters audience award at SXSW. She is also the author of horror memoir House of Psychotic Women.

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