#FIRSTLOOK: “A SAFE DISTANCE” TO PREMIERE AT SXSW ’26

The tense, sensual thriller A Safe Distance, directed by Vancouver-based filmmaker Gloria Mercer in her feature debut, will have its World Premiere at the 2026 SXSW Film & TV Festival in the Narrative Spotlight program.

Written by Aidan West and produced by Nic Altobelli of Area V5 Pictures alongside Mercer and West through their banner See Horse Films, A Safe Distance is a slow-burn thriller set against the isolation of the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

In the film, a young woman abandoned by her boyfriend in a remote forest encounters a pair of notorious fugitives. As she forms an unexpected bond with them, shifting loyalties and dangerous desires pull her into a volatile triangle from which there may be no safe escape.

The film stars Bethany Brown (Murder in a Small Town, F*** Marry Kill), Chris McNally (When Calls the Heart, Supernatural), Cody Kearsley (Riverdale, Virgin River), and Tandia Mercedes (Allegiance).

Shot in British Columbia, A Safe Distance builds on Mercer and West’s acclaimed 2021 short of the same name, expanding its intimate psychological tension into a feature-length exploration of power, vulnerability, and survival.

“We’re thrilled to premiere A Safe Distance at SXSW,” said Mercer. “This film was built from the ground up through an incredible collaboration with producer Nic Altobelli, writer Aidan West, and our remarkable BC cast and crew. We can’t wait to share it with an audience that champions bold, character-driven independent cinema.”

A Safe Distance has been acquired for Canadian distribution by Vortex Media. The film was funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, and Creative BC and produced with the support of Keslow Camera, Sunbelt Rentals, Maverick Post and UBCP/ACTRA.

Festival screening times will be announced by SXSW.

Website: www.asafedistancefilm.com
Instagram: @asafedistancefilm
Production Companies: @seehorsefilms | @areav5pictures