Samuel Van Grinsven- Hot Seat Interview- Director/Writer- Went Up the Hill

Director Samuel Van Grinsven has made two feature films by the age of 32, and both demonstrate a director who knows exactly what they’re doing. The New Zealand-born filmmaker made an instant impact in Queer cinema with his mysterious film, Sequin in a Blue Room, which was enough to capture the attention of actors such as Vicky Krieps and Dacre Montgomery. Samuel‘s newest film, Went Up the Hill, is a dark and moody piece, a ghost story unlike any other, and the kind of work that shows an artist in their element. The kinds of directors would I compare Van Grinsven to? Ingmar Bergman, Andrea Arnold, and the director’s inspiration, Gregg Araki. I spoke with Samuel about Went Up the Hill, where we dug into the films that inspired him, setting the mood for Krieps, and the writing process. This is a director with an upward trajectory. Watch it here: