Forgive Us All

Lore & Background

Forgive Us All was written and directed by Jordana Stott, marking her directorial debut. The script was inspired by the couple's outdoor excursions in the Queenstown area. Casting was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood labor strikes, but the film eventually starred Lily Sullivan, Callan Mulvey, Richard Roxburgh, and others. Filming took place over 27 days in autumn 2024 at locations including Queenstown Hill, Rees Valley Station, Ben Nevis Station, and Kingston. The zombie-like Howlers were designed by Wētā FX artist Gino Acevedo and colleagues.

Reader's Guide

Forgive Us All represents a notable entry in New Zealand genre filmmaking, blending neo-Western, apocalyptic horror, and drama. Its significance lies in its independent financing model—funded entirely by the filmmakers without bank or studio support—and its focus on a female-driven redemption narrative. The film received a 40 percent screen production rebate from the New Zealand Film Commission and post-production services from Peter Jackson's Park Road Post facility. Critical reception was mixed but positive: Samuel Hames of Spicy Pulp praised its meditative, female-driven voice, while Graeme Tuckett of Stuff gave it three and a half stars, highlighting cinematography and performances. The film's international distribution was acquired by British company REASON8 in February 2025.

Did You Know?

• The film was self-funded with NZ$10 million from the directors' sale of their meal company Youfoodz.
• The zombie-like creatures called Howlers were designed by Wētā FX artist Gino Acevedo.
• Filming took place over 27 days in autumn 2024 in the Queenstown area of New Zealand's South Island.
• Richard Roxburgh served as both an actor (playing Otto) and an executive producer.

Development & Financing

Jordana Stott, an Australian film graduate from Bond University, and her husband Lance Giles set out to make a feature film after meeting. To fund their ambitions, they built a ready-made meal company called Youfoodz in Brisbane starting in 2012. By 2021, they sold it to HelloFresh for A$125 million. During those years, Stott sharpened her craft producing over 30 television commercials. After the sale, the couple relocated to the Queenstown area of Central Otago, purchasing a lifestyle block in Gibbston. They then poured NZ$10 million of their own savings into Forgive Us All, with zero backing from banks, studios, or outside investors. Jared Connon, a veteran production manager with credits on Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies, joined as co-producer and production manager after learning of the script and budget. The 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, while delaying casting, gave the team extra time to refine the screenplay and gather resources.

Plot & Thematic Core

Set in a post-apocalyptic New Zealand where a zombie epidemic has forced the government to herd survivors into camps, Forgive Us All follows Rory, a mother who has buried both her infected daughter Matty and her infected husband. Living in a rural compound with her father-in-law Otto, she wrestles with grief and suicidal ideation. The story shifts when Noah, a fugitive carrying a serum that can cure the zombie Howlers, seeks shelter after his companion Lockie is killed by government agent Logan. What unfolds is a tense neo-Western drama blending action and moral ambiguity. Otto makes a final stand against the invading agents, sacrificing himself. Logan is ultimately devoured by the very creatures he hunts. Bitten by a Howler herself, Rory discovers the creatures no longer target her. She delivers the cure to Noah's aunt before riding off to end her life, hoping to reunite with Matty. The film explores motherhood, redemption, and the cost of survival.

Production & Filming

Principal photography ran for 27 days across autumn 2024, with locations spanning Queenstown Hill, Rees Valley Station, Ben Nevis Station, and Kingston. Lance Giles deliberately chose the South Island landscape as a tribute to his native region. The shoot demanded extensive horse riding, stunt work, fight choreography, and multiple long night sequences. The production assembled a crew of over 100, with more than half recruited locally. The team coordinated with local businesses, landowners, farmers, and the Queenstown Lakes District Council to secure filming support. The film's Howlers, the zombie-like creatures that stalk the countryside, were designed by Wētā FX creative art director Gino Acevedo alongside Sarah Rubano and Jason Docherty. Jared Connon, who had previously served as location manager on Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Lovely Bones, King Kong, and The Hobbit trilogy, handled production management and co-producing duties. Rialto Distribution handled the New Zealand and Australian release on 8 May 2025, while British company REASON8 secured international rights in mid-February 2025.

Cast & Character Preparation

Lily Sullivan took on the demanding role of Rory, a grieving mother navigating a zombie-infested wasteland. She was drawn to the project by Stott's vision of fusing Western and thriller genres, though she admitted that carrying Rory's darkness and lack of light day after day was emotionally heavy. Richard Roxburgh, who also served as executive producer, portrayed Otto, Rory's father-in-law. He conceptualized the character as a British military veteran who had lived in New Zealand for three decades, drawing on his own skills in munition handling and rabbit butchery to inform the performance. Callan Mulvey played the ruthless government agent Logan, while Dean O'Gorman appeared as Lockie. Bree Peters and Lawrence Makoare rounded out the government squad as Scout and Brooks. Lance Giles himself stepped in front of the camera as Noah, the serum-carrying fugitive, and Willow Giles played young Matty. The 2023 Hollywood labor strikes delayed the casting process, pushing the originally planned spring 2023 start date.