A new film is hitting theatres across Canada this week that not only takes place on Vancouver Island, but was filmed here and made by a BC-based cast and crew.
Hunting Matthew Nichols is a truly unique film in that it blends the true-crime documentary format with a gripping psychological thriller narrative that has left audiences shaken ever since its festival premiere in 2024.
The film follows documentary filmmaker Tara Nichols (Miranda MacDougall) and her crew as they try to solve the mystery of her own brother’s mysterious disappearance that occurred two decades earlier.
Her brother and his friend vanished while roaming the wooded regions of northern Vancouver Island and she is determined to find out what happened to them.
As the story unfolds, new information comes to light that shakes the film crews’ sense of reality and leads them further down the rabbit hole.
Victoria Buzz had the opportunity to speak with Victoria-based supporting actor Christine Willes about her role as Detective Pam Hamilton in Hunting Matthew Nichols.
Willes’ role was that of the detective who had formerly been leading the investigation into the titular character’s disappearance.
She says that to prepare for the character, she had to binge watch a lot of true crime shows, paying extra-close attention to the way detectives conducted themselves in the interviews.
“I don’t watch a lot of true crime, but I’m a big fan of detective fiction in print, television, movies, but not real crime, so I did watch a lot of that,” Willes explained.
“The other part that I had to play was that my father was a cop, so I really felt that I knew how police operate in situations where they’re being interviewed.”
Willes added that the film piqued her interest as she found herself very curious about “fooling” the audience via the blended format of the project.
As a character actor, her goal going into this role was to try to convince people that this really happened.
Furthermore, Willes says that she found the pacing and the tone of the film gripping as the narrative builds tension slowly.
“The film is a psychological thriller with a horror twist to it and it’s done in a very particular, documentary style, but it’s that psychological thriller part that makes it such a compelling piece,” said Willes.
“The reason why people are so affected by this is the slow build of tension throughout the film that is [in-part] this young woman who is investigating what could have happened, and her coming apart.”
In addition to the storytelling aspect of the film, the cinematography throughout is filled with broad, haunting shots of Vancouver Island’s wilderness.
Though the independent film was initially released in 2024, it is now being released widely across Canada, which is a rare feat for a film of this size to achieve.
Hunting Matthew Nichols will be screening in Victoria at SilverCity Victoria Cinemas, located just behind Tillicum Shopping Centre, beginning on Friday, April 10th.
The film will be shown at 40 other cinemas across Canada.
“I have been nothing but impressed with the filmmakers and the team that they have assembled,” said Willes.
“For an independent film to get Hunting Matthew Nichols is a little short of a miracle in my opinion.”
This riveting film experience is a must-see in theatres, with a final act that is haunting and will have most Vancouver Islanders thinking twice before their next hike in the Pacific Northwest.
Find tickets to the Victoria screening of Hunting Matthew Nichols online, here.
