Hangashore is a Canadian thriller film, directed by Justin Oakey and released in 2025.Kelly Townsend, "AIFF unveils four Atlantic features as world premieres for 45th festival". Playback, July 23, 2025. The film stars Hera Hilmar as Vera, an Icelandic artist haunted by recurring nightmares about her missing father; she travels to Newfoundland in search of him, and becomes drawn into a relationship with Jack (James Frecheville), a local seal hunter.Zac Ntim, "‘Hangashore:’ Production Begins On Canadian Thriller Starring ‘Peaky Blinders’ Actor James Frecheville". Deadline Hollywood, March 6, 2024.
Production The film was announced as receiving funding from Telefilm Canada in 2023,Victoria Ahearn, "Telefilm commits $19.4 million to 32 feature-length films". Playback, June 6, 2023. and entered production in spring 2024.Brendan Christie, "Ghostly thriller Hangashore gets underway in Newfoundland". Playback, March 7, 2024.
Oakey described the film as stripping away the naturalism of his prior films to build an "ominous, almost feverish atmosphere".
Release The film premiered at the 2025 Atlantic International Film Festival, and was the official selection of Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival, Windsor International Film Festival, Charlottetown Film Festival, Available Light Film Festival, Calgary Underground Film Festival, and the Canadian Film Fest, where it won the DGC Award for Best Director and a Special Jury Prize for Best Cinematography.Jamie Casemore, "Akashi wins Best Feature, audience award at Canadian Film Fest". Playback, March 30, 2026.
Critical reception
ScreenAnarchy lauded the film as "a foreboding old-world ghost story lost in fog and dreams."Kurt Halfyard, "CUFF: Hangashore – An oblique, foggy nightmare". ScreenAnarchy, March 30, 2026. Rue Morgue Magazine praised it as "an icy tale of retribution" and "a desolate yet beautiful portrait of Canada's east coast."
References
External links