Forgive Us All is a 2025 New Zealand neo-Western apocalyptic horror film directed and written by Jordana Stott. Set in a haunting world ravaged by a virus that turns humans into feral cannibals, the movie centers on Rory (played by Lily Sullivan), a grieving mother seeking refuge in the mountains. Her quiet isolation is shattered by the arrival of Logan (Callan Mulvey), a wounded stranger offering hope. The film also stars Richard Roxburgh as Otto, Dean O’Gorman, Bree Peters, Lawrence Makoare, and Lance Giles.
Distributed by Rialto Distribution, the movie was released in New Zealand and Australia on May 8, 2025, with a VOD/Digital release planned for July 11, 2025.
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND FORGIVE US ALL
Director Jordana Stott and her partner Lance Giles drew inspiration from their time spent exploring the outdoors in Central Otago, particularly around Queenstown. The couple, who had earlier founded the successful ready-meal company Youfoodz in Australia, moved to New Zealand to pursue their passion for filmmaking.
Giles described the project as blending neo-Western grit, horror, action, and drama, while spotlighting themes of motherhood, survival, and redemption. Their intention was to showcase New Zealand’s South Island landscape while telling a deeply personal and genre-bending story.
WHERE WAS FORGIVE US ALL FILMED?
The movie was shot on New Zealand’s South Island over the course of 27 days in the fall of 2024. Queenstown Hill, Rees Valley Station, Ben Nevis Station, and the lakeside town of Kingston are all places where it can be seen. The filmmakers made sure to use local businesses and talent, and more than half of the 100-person crew was from Queenstown.
Let’s take a closer look at the main filming locations:
QUEENSTOWN HILL
Queenstown Hill is one of the most famous scenes in Forgive Us All. This rough and high spot, just east of Queenstown’s town center, had great views of Lake Wakatipu and The Remarkables mountain range.
The dramatic heights and golden tussock fields in the area helped show how alone and dangerous Rory is in the movie. Long night shoots and stunt-heavy sequences were filmed here, with cinematographer Peter McCaffrey utilizing the changing autumn light to maximum effect.
REES VALLEY STATION
Another standout location in the movie is Rees Valley Station, located near Glenorchy at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu. The working high-country farm Rees Valley Station is surrounded by snow-capped peaks and wide valleys. It was the site of several intense chase and action scenes with horses and stunt work.
This setting gave the story more depth and size, showing how alone the characters felt on an emotional level while also emphasizing how big the New Zealand wilderness is. Lance Giles says that working with the local farmers to film here was very hard, but they were very helpful during the whole process.
BEN NEVIS STATION
The production also utilized Ben Nevis Station, located in the highlands between Queenstown and Kingston. Ben Nevis Station was the perfect place for the movie’s more dangerous survival scenes because of its rough terrain and high altitude. This place worked great for night shoots and fight scenes that needed to be real and physically difficult.
The rough terrain with sharp rocks, steep hills, and unpredictable weather made a natural obstacle course that the cast and crew loved because it felt so real. A lot of the movie’s darker, moodier scenes were filmed here with little light to make the atmosphere stronger.
KINGSTON
Though used briefly, Kingston, a small town at the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu, also appears in the film. Kingston offered the crew a more developed setting with access to local infrastructure and services while still retaining the remote feel required by the story.
Some of the production’s logistical needs, including temporary storage, crew accommodation, and technical staging, were based here. It also served as a key transportation link for moving between the various rural filming spots.
GLENORCHY
On the final day of shooting, the crew gathered in Glenorchy, a small town at the head of Lake Wakatipu near the Rees Valley. Glenorchy is known for its beautiful filming locations and has been the setting for big movies like “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Chronicles of Narnia.” For Forgive Us All, it was a fitting end to a very busy period of work on the album.
The forests, rivers, and mountains in Glenorchy made for one of the most beautiful scenes in the whole movie. It was a moment of reflection for director Jordana Stott and Lance Giles, who saw the culmination of their long-held dream of making a feature film.
GIBBSTON VALLEY
Though not featured directly in the film, Gibbston Valley—where Stott and Giles now reside—served as the creative birthplace for the script. After selling their successful food company, the couple moved to this tranquil part of Central Otago. The landscape here deeply influenced the script and visual tone of the film.
Giles made it clear that filming in and around Queenstown was planned. In honor of his South Island roots and to celebrate New Zealand’s beautiful scenery— he did it. The production team made sure the movie stayed true to New Zealand by working closely with farmers, landowners—and the Queenstown Lakes District Council.
PRODUCTION SUPPORT AND LOCAL IMPACT
There was a producer and location manager named Jared Connon. He is known for his work on Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies. With over 100 crew members, more than half of whom were from the area, the production not only brought money to the area—but it also hired people from Queenstown and worked with local vendors.
The New Zealand Film Commission gave a 40% rebate for the shoot, which added to the country’s reputation as a great place to film. The lighting and colors were perfect for the fall shoot, which gave the movie a unique look.
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