Biography

Hugo Keijzer is a writer-director with over twenty years of experience, having directed more than 200 commercials for global brands before transitioning to feature films. His debut feature, The Occupant, a survival sci-fi thriller starring Ella Balinska, Rob Delaney, Vanessa Ifediora, and Stuart Graham, premiered at the inaugural SXSW London Film Festival. Shot in the Caucasus mountains and Northern Ireland, the film follows a geologist who survives a helicopter crash and maintains eerie radio contact with another survivor. Originally developed as a short prologue in 2019, The Occupant was expanded into a feature backed by the Netherlands Film Fund, BFI Global Screen Fund, and Northern Ireland Screen. It earned praise at SXSW London as a "twisty and inventive survival thriller" noted for its emotional depth and cinematic suspense. Hugo previously directed short films including Prosopagnosia (2013), Denham Psycho (2014), and Éclair (2016), marking his evolution into high-concept feature filmmaking.
- IMDb mini biography by: JT