Greenwich Entertainment has released a new trailer for Charlotte Rampling’s new family drama Juniper. The feature is billed as a “transformative story about love, loss, and acceptance,” and is based on first-time director Matthew J. Saville's experiences growing up in New Zealand.
The new trailer sees Rampling as a tough matriarch and former war journalist who after breaking her leg moves into her son’s house where she’ll be taken care of by her grandson, Sam. He is a self-destructive teenager and has been recently kicked out of his boarding school. The clip showcases Ruth as a feisty, badass, alcoholic who works to connect with her estranged grandson. The two-minute-long clip also sees Ruth and Sam slowly warming up to each other, from Ruth throwing a glass at Sam for watering her drink down, to them watching the sunrise together to having a dance – the clip offers a slice of their life in heartwarming vignettes.
The movie casts Rampling as Ruth, George Ferrier as her troubled grandson Sam, Marton Csokas as Robert, Ruth’s son, and Edith Poor as Sarah, Ruth's nurse. Interestingly the movie’s title, Juniper inspired by juniper berries which are a key ingredient in gin, to which Ruth is addicted and drinks by the jugful every day. The feature looks fresh, heartwarming, and interesting with Rampling’s performance standing out as a matriarch and Ferrier as a reclusive but warm grandson. With picturesque landscapes, strong performances and a heartfelt emotional story at its core Juniper will certainly find a place in fans’ hearts.
The movie has had a good film festival run in Tallinn, Edinburgh, Munich, and Brisbane among others. Saville directs from a script he wrote, and the beautiful New Zealand landscapes are seen from the lens of cinematographer Martyn Williams. Juniper is produced by Desray Armstrong and Angela Littlejohn in association with the New Zealand Film Commission and Celsius Entertainment. Executive producers include Andrew Mackie, Richard Payton, Mark Chamberlain, Thierry Wase-Bailey and Henriette Wollmann.
The movie premieres in theaters on February 24 and will hit streaming services Amazon and Apple TV on April 4. You can check out the trailer and synopsis below:
Self-destructive teenager Sam (George Ferrier) returns home from boarding school to find his alcoholic, wheelchair-bound grandmother Ruth (Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling) has moved in. Although two initially clash, over time they develop an unexpected bond. A touching story of loss and acceptance, set against the gorgeous backdrop of New Zealand.