River.

For the third time, the Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) will take part in the Goes to Cannes initiative at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, presenting a curated selection of Australian films to the international industry. Organised by the Marché du Film, the showcase provides a platform for festivals to introduce new work and support emerging filmmakers on a global stage. This year, AFF has selected five films to participate in the initiative.

One of AFF’s selections is River, writer-director Zane Borg’s sophomore feature film inspired by their own experiences. Told through the eyes of a teenage girl, the film follows River after her mother’s death as she forms a bond with a troubled outcast, Marcus, who accompanies her through the quiet depths of grief. The film explores grief not as an abstract theme, but as a lived, everyday reality: messy, confusing, and full of unexpected connections.

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“River is a film made for my mother, who passed away eleven years ago while I was still a teenager,” says Borg. 

“Her death was the result of medical negligence, and as a consequence a team of lawyers placed a dollar value on her life and deposited it into my bank account. It wasn’t money I felt I had earned, and it certainly didn’t reflect the value of having my mother in the world. So I decided to do something meaningful with it. River is a film for the grieving, for those who feel as lost as I once did, a hand to hold through this strange, motherless existence.”

The film features a talented cast headlined by Mia Barrett (Sunflower), alongside William McKenna (Heartbreak High), Shabana Azeez (The Pitt), Luca Sardelis (Barracuda), and Justin Rosniak (The Surfer).

“The last time we attended Cannes with my debut feature film Sunflower, it proved life-changing and career-altering,” said producer Gabriel Carrubba. 

“We’re incredibly grateful to AFF for their support in including River in their lineup, allowing Zane’s story to be seen by the international market.”

In addition to the Goes to Cannes showcase, River will also have its anticipated world premiere at the 66th Zlín Film Festival this May/June, further elevating its presence on the international film circuit.

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“I’m thrilled to have River make its world premiere at the Zlín Film Festival, particularly given the festival’s strong youth focus, which makes this moment even more meaningful,” says Borg. 

“River is the kind of film I needed when I was a teenager, and I hope that young people who are navigating loss or grief will see themselves reflected in the story.”

Producer Carrubba echoes the sentiment:

“Our cast and crew worked incredibly hard to bring this film to life, so it’s a wonderful opportunity to finally share River with the world. I’m keen to see how it resonates with people and hope it becomes a meaningful part of the program at this renowned festival, the largest and oldest of its kind in the world.”

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