Juniper

Sam, all of 17-years-old, has been kicked out of boarding school. A spiraling student, he’s suffering from a crushing depression brought on by the death of his mother. When his father brings him home, there’s a surprise – his long-absent, icy and reluctantly dependent grandmother Ruth (a spirited Charlotte Rampling) has moved in.

Sharp as a needle but as self-destructive (and perhaps self-delusional) as her grandson, Ruth is trapped in a wheelchair, needing someone to feed her, listen to her, and most importantly, pour her enormous pitchers of gin. Slowly, over time, the pair begin to connect, sharing their grief and their dreams, and a genuine family, warts and all, begins to emerge. Matthew J. Saville's smart, touching dramedy is a tour de force for Rampling, who meets her match in George Ferrier’s Sam.

Director Biography

Matthew J Saville is a screen- and play- writer, director and actor with numerous credits to his name. Born in South Africa, he grew up in New Zealand. He is the director of the short films “Hitch Hike” (2012) and “Dive” (2014). Juniper (2021) is his debut feature.

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