The trailer for a new movie shot in Tasmania’s Midlands that promises to be a real tear-jerker has been released.
Set in Scotland but filmed entirely in Tasmania, “Ancestry Road” follows the life of father Kevin McGavin and his family.
The film is centred around Kevin’s daughter, who regularly goes missing up the back of the family farm, leading to the construction of a road to make life easier.
But things begin to change when deceased family members begin arriving in their cars for a visit.
Written, directed and co-produced by Melbourne filmmaker Glenn Triggs, “Ancestry Road” was shot across just 17 days in Oatlands and surrounding Midlands towns last August.
Filming centred around Bowhill Grange, a collection of early colonial farm buildings 3km west of the Oatlands township.
The property was originally part of the Anstey Barton estate before being passed to the Agnew family in 1878 under former Tasmanian Premier Sir James Agnew.
The movie utilised ‘all areas’ of the property, including the cottages and neighbouring hills, with the expansive landscapes and dramatic light ‘perfectly suiting’ the Scottish theme.
Triggs said the film is a tribute to his mum, who passed away two years ago.
“Everyone has family, so everyone will be able to relate to this film. The final moments of the film really bring everything together and were the real reason I wanted to make this film. It hits hard on an emotional level,” he told Cinema Australia.
Ancestry Road features Australian actors like Seb Moorhead, Jessica Stanley and Jodie Wolf, alongside Tasmanian actors Gillian Unicomb, Bill Munro, Charlotte Grey, Finn Bertschi, Gillian Unicomb, Anne Cordiner and John X.
The movie’s Executive Producer Mark Marshall has previously worked as a production assistant on films like Star Wars, The Goonies and Harry Potter.
Many Oatlands locals starred as extras, with the entire community invited to the set at one stage for a group walking scene.
The movie is set to be released in mid-2024, following a recent cast and crew screening at Hobart’s Rewind Cinema.
