Janine van Gessel, Samantha Allsop and Jennifer van Gessel

Australian production company Far From Everything Films has officially greenlit its next feature film, Napoleonic, a large-scale, high-concept found footage horror feature that will see twin sisters Jennifer van Gessel and Janine van Gessel direct together for the first time.

Currently in pre-production, casting is underway ahead of filming in Sydney, Australia. Backed by international investment, the project has already attracted strong interest from cast and international distributors, positioning it as one of the company’s most ambitious productions to date.

Returning as Executive Producer is regular Far From Everything Films collaborator Janine Sheehan, continuing her ongoing partnership with the company across its growing slate of feature films.

Also joining the production team is Samantha Allsop, who joins Napoleonic following her producing debut on the short film L’Audition, which is set to begin its festival run later this year.

Written by Jennifer van Gessel, Napoleonic follows an urban explorer who accidentally passes through a mysterious portal while exploring an abandoned government laboratory. Suddenly trapped in the middle of the Napoleonic Wars, he must survive one of history’s bloodiest battlefields while confronting the terrifying consequences of changing the past.

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Blending the intimacy of found footage filmmaking with sweeping historical spectacle, Napoleonic is a technically ambitious production featuring extensive visual effects, practical effects and large-scale period recreations. Designed for international audiences, the film pushes the found footage format into new territory by placing audiences inside one of history’s most brutal conflicts through the eyes of an ordinary man fighting to survive.

“I’ve always loved found footage, but after Water Horse I knew I wouldn’t return to the format unless I had an idea that genuinely felt fresh,” says Jennifer van Gessel. 

“When the concept for Napoleonic came to me, I immediately knew it was something special. What excites me most is the opportunity to completely immerse audiences in the point of view of someone trapped in an unimaginably foreign world. My hope is that audiences won’t just watch this film, they’ll feel like they’ve survived it.”

With a lifelong fascination with the Napoleonic Wars, Janine van Gessel says that Napoleonic felt like the perfect project to step into a larger creative role.

“Although we’ve worked together creatively for many years, I’ve always been hesitant about directing. With this project I feel I can contribute in a meaningful way considering my understanding of the real history,” says Janine. 

The announcement follows the completion of principal photography on Far From Everything Films’ psychological horror feature Find My Bones, which is now in the final stages of editing and has already generated strong marketplace interest ahead of its release.

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Napoleonic joins an expanding feature slate for Far From Everything Films, which now has three major feature productions moving forward.

The slate also includes the gothic psychological thriller Langton, which received development funding from Screen Australia, has the support of Screen Yorkshire, and has secured finance ahead of production in late 2026/early 2027.

Also moving forward is the science fiction thriller DOPS, which received development funding from Screen NSW and has secured international investment as it continues toward production.

Together, these projects reflect Far From Everything Films’ continued commitment to developing ambitious Australian stories with international commercial appeal while building a diverse slate of genre features for the global marketplace.

Further announcements, including casting and additional creative team members for Napoleonic, will be made in the coming months.