A Vancouver Island-shot supernatural thriller is about to get a wide theatrical release most indie filmmakers can only dream of.

*Hunting Matthew Nichols*, the debut feature from director Markian Tarasiuk, opens April 10 on more than 1,000 screens across the US and Canada. That includes AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Marcus Theatres, and Cineplex, a reach that’s rare for an independently made film.

The film already tested the waters this week as a “Monday Mystery Movie” (or “Scream Unseen” in some markets) at 1,400 screens. Major chains screened it without revealing the title beforehand, a bold move that apparently paid off with strong audience reactions.

The story follows Tara Nichols, an aspiring documentary filmmaker trying to solve her brother’s decades-old disappearance on Vancouver Island. When new evidence surfaces, she and her film crew dig into the case, only to uncover something darker than expected. Critics have praised the film’s blend of true crime documentary style with horror, and Steven Soderbergh called it “a sneaky, simmering take on the true crime folk horror genre that boils over and becomes truly unnerving.”

What makes this release notable is how it got here. Tarasiuk, writer Sean Harris Oliver, and their producing partners at Dropshock Pictures and Moon7 Films are self-distributing the film. In 2025, they took it on a cross-country tour, meeting with executives at major chains to pitch their strategy. They brought in former National Association of Theater Owners President John Fithian and his consulting firm to help navigate the theatrical landscape.

The film stars Miranda MacDougall, Markian Tarasiuk, Ryan Alexander McDonald, and Christine Willes. It’s a BC production through and through, shot entirely on Vancouver Island with a local crew. Cinematographer Justin Sebastian and editor Jonathan Mathew round out the key creative team.

*Hunting Matthew Nichols* premiered at Newport Beach Film Festival, played Blood in the Snow, and earned a Borsos Award nomination for Best Canadian Feature at Whistler Film Festival. It’s racked up awards on the festival circuit since.

Special screenings are planned for Vancouver (The Park, April 2) and Los Angeles (Landmark Sunset with Film Independent, April 6) before the wide release.

For a debut feature from a new production company, landing this kind of theatrical footprint is a big deal. It’s proof that indie filmmakers willing to hustle, build relationships, and take control of their own distribution can still break through in a crowded market.