Safe Inside (film)
| Safe Inside | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Renata Gabryjelska |
| Screenplay by | Blazej Dzikowski |
| Story by | Renata Gabryjelska |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | Steven Brand Tom Ainsley Andrea Tivadar |
| Cinematography | Piotr Kukla |
| Edited by | Agnieszka Glinska |
| Music by | Elia Cmíral |
Production company | Next Holding |
| Distributed by | Gravitas Ventures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Countries | |
| Language | English |
Safe Inside is a 2019 psychological thriller film directed by Renata Gabryjelska and written by Blazej Dzikowski. It stars Steven Brand, Tom Ainsley, and Andrea Tivadar. The plot follows Ana (Tivadar) and Tom (Ainsley), an American couple, travelling to rural France for farm work. After their bus crashes, they wake up alone and walk to their host Richard's (Brand) mansion. The film's music was composed by Elia Cmíral.
The film won Best Thriller Feature award at the 2019 San Diego International Film Festival. It also won Best Director, Best Thriller, and Best Cinematography at the Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Competition.
Plot
[edit]Ana and her boyfriend Tom, an American couple traveling through Europe, decide to take up farm work in a remote region of France as part of their journey. They board a coach to their destination, but their plans are disrupted when the coach crashes under mysterious circumstances. Upon regaining consciousness, they find themselves alone in the aftermath of the crash, with no sign of the other passengers or the driver. Stranded and without transportation, they are forced to make their way on foot to the mansion of Richard Rolle, the man who had offered them work on his farm.
Richard, a charismatic and seemingly hospitable man, welcomes the couple into his home, offering them food, shelter, and a place to recover. However, as Ana and Tom settle into their new surroundings, they begin to notice oddities in Richard's behavior and inconsistencies in his stories. The mansion, though luxurious, has an unsettling atmosphere, and the couple starts to feel increasingly isolated. Their unease grows as they encounter strange occurrences, including locked doors, cryptic conversations, and unexplained noises.
As the days pass, Ana and Tom discover that Richard is not the benevolent host he appears to be. They uncover disturbing secrets about his past and his true intentions, realizing that their arrival at the mansion may not have been a coincidence. Richard's behavior becomes increasingly manipulative and controlling, and the couple finds themselves drawn into a psychological game of power and survival.
The situation escalates as Ana and Tom's trust in each other is tested. Richard's mind games and the oppressive environment of the mansion push them to their limits, forcing them to confront their own fears and vulnerabilities. The couple must navigate a series of challenges, both physical and psychological, as they attempt to unravel the truth about Richard and the events that brought them to his home.
The film builds to a tense and dramatic climax, revealing the full extent of Richard's plans and the dark motivations behind his actions. Ana and Tom are forced to make difficult choices as they fight to escape the mansion and the dangers that lie within.
Cast
[edit]- Steven Brand as Richard Rolle
- Tom Ainsley as Tom Dawkins
- Andrea Tivadar as Ana Walker
- Nocolas Navazo as Dr. Baptiste
- Joanna Kulig as Sylvia
- Patrice Nieckowski as Paysan
- Krzysztof Rogowski as Jean-Luc
Production
[edit]Safe Inside is a Polish-Luxembourg production made in English language. The directorial debut of Renata Gabryjelska, its screenplay, written by Błażej Dzikowski, was inspired by events from Gabryjelska's life.[1] Although the film is set in France, it was shot in Poland.[2][3]
Release
[edit]Safe Inside was screened on 16 October 2019 at the San Diego International Film Festival.[4] It was released on digital platforms on 7 June 2021.[2]
- Festival screenings
- San Diego International Film Festival, 2019
- Polish Film Festival of America, 2020[5]
- Debut Films Festival Youth and Film (Poland), 2021 – Official selection for competition[6]
- Tofifest, 2020 – Official competition[7]
Critical response
[edit]Rating 8/10, Alan Ng of Film Threat stated: "As far as low budget thrillers go, Safe Inside balances the thrills beautifully, but the film's score does overplay its hand on occasion. Visually, the imagery and the meaning behind it is fantastic. The locations and set pieces are beautiful".[1] Leslie Felperin of The Guardian rated two out of five stars and described the film as "a flawed thriller with a doozy of a twist", although she commended "the cast is toothsome and pleasant to watch, especially Tivadar".[2]
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego International Film Festival | Best Thriller Feature | Renata Gabryjelska | Won | [8] |
| Chris Brinker Award | Renata Gabryjelska | Nominated | [9] | |
| Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Competition | Best Director | Renata Gabryjelska | Won | [10] |
| Best Thriller | Stanislaw Tycznski | Won | ||
| Best Cinematography | Piotr Kukla | Won | ||
| Best Film | Magdalena Jaworska, Stanislaw Tyczynski | Nominated | ||
| Best International Film | Renata Gabryjelska | Nominated | ||
| Best Film Score | Elia Cmíral | Nominated | ||
| Best Film Editing | Agnieska Glinska | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Steven Brand | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress | Andrea Tivadar | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Tom Ainsley | Nominated | ||
| Global Music Awards | Silver Medal | Elia Cmíral | Won | [11] |
| Lady Filmmakers Festival | Best Foreign Film | Magdalena Jaworska, Stanislaw Tyczynski | Won | [12] |
| Best Actor | Steven Brand | Won | ||
| Best Actress | Andrea Tivadar | Nominated | [9] | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Tom Ainsley | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ng, Alan (17 October 2019). "Safe Inside". Film Threat. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Felperin, Leslie (1 June 2021). "Safe Inside Review – a Flawed Thriller with a Doozy of a Twist". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ starpower (3 March 2020). "English Actor Tom Ainsley Takes His Tale." WritersCafe.org. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ Jacquin, Jeri (14 October 2019). "San Diego International Film Festival Opens This Week". Patch Media. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "Safe Inside". Polish Film Festival in America. 19 November 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "Safe Inside". Crew United. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "Andrea Tivadar En El Casting De JVV" (in Spanish). Neo2 Magazine. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ SDIFF (4 November 2019). "San Diego International Film Festival Announces Film Award Winners". San Diego International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 6 October 2022.
- ^ a b "Renata Gabryjelska – Strona Oficjalna". Renata Gabryjelska. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "2019 Films". Las Vegas International Film and Screenwriting Competition. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "Global Music Awards: November 2019 Honorees". Global Music Awards. November 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ^ "Congratulations to the 2019 Official Selection & Award Winners". Lady Filmmakers Festival. 2 November 2020. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2025.