IFC Films recently dropped the first teaser trailer for the upcoming movie Vesper, and science fiction fans will see a lot in it that feels familiar — the lush, dangerous feel of Alex Garland’s Annihilation; the janky, friendly robotics of Duncan Jones’ Moon; the low-key but haunting alien feel of Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival; the lonely girl-and-her-planet vibe of Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl’s Prospect, and a lot more. There’s a little of Raised by Wolves’ desaturated harshness in there, a little of The Colony’s bleak survival story, and a little of Tales From the Loop’s sense of quiet wonder. In other words, it feels like modern indie sci-fi: complex, conceptual, and visually grabby in a subtle way.
Directed by Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper (Vanishing Waves), the film stars Eddie Marsan, Richard Brake (Joe Chill from Batman Begins, and Game of Thrones’ original Night King), Raffiella Chapman, and Rosy McEwen. Here’s the plot summary from IFC Films.
Set after the collapse of the Earth’s ecosystem, the film follows Vesper (Chapman), a headstrong 13-year-old girl who uses her survival skills to subsist in the remnants of a strange and dangerous world with her ailing father, Darius (Brake). When Vesper finds a mysterious woman, Camellia (McEwen), alone and disoriented after an aerial crash, she agrees to help find her missing companion in exchange for safe passage to the Citadel – the dark central hub where oligarchs live in comfort thanks to state-of-the-art biotechnology. Vesper soon discovers that her brutal neighbor, Jonas (Marsan), is searching for Camellia, who is harboring a secret which could change all of their lives forever. Forced into a dangerous adventure, Vesper must rely on her wits and bio-hacking abilities to unlock the key to an alternate future.
Vesper will release in theaters and on VOD on September 30, 2022.
