Award-winning Pakenham filmmaker Glenn Triggs will release his film Ancestry Road in cinemas across Australia on June 5.
Produced by Radioactive Pictures, the heartfelt family drama marks a major milestone in Glen Triggs’ career.
The film follows a young girl who repeatedly vanishes on her remote Scottish farm. When her father builds a road to reach her more easily, it unexpectedly opens a path for deceased family members to return—changing everything.
Ancestry Road is deeply personal, drawing on his own experiences of loss and family connection.
“The passing of my Mum inspired the story. Truthfully believing that death isn’t the end of a person. The film is a tribute to her,” Glen said.
“I really hope they will be moved emotionally. The film is very heartfelt and kinda sad, in a lot of good ways.
“So I hope people can see themselves in these characters. We cover everything in this film, mother and son relationships, father and son, kids, grandparents, great grandparents etc. I feel like everyone has a unique family story of their own – so they can really relate.”
It has been a long journey since starting the film in 2021, and after four years of writing and directing, Glen is thrilled to finally share it.
“It means a lot to show people locally what can be done – and the amazing cast/crew we have here in Australia,” he said.
“There has been a tremendous amount of support so far from local family and friends and community getting behind the film!”
Ancestry Road was filmed in the wilds of Tasmania, with beautifully moody, cloud-filled weather that perfectly matched its poignant tone and Scottish cast.
However all casting, production, and editing were proudly done in Pakenham, highlighting strong local involvement in bringing the film to life.
A major skill Glen has built over time is a more patient approach to filmmaking.
“As I progressed, I learnt over time that a film could take 2 days, then 3 months, then 2 years, now 4. So I am far more patient with the process than I used to be,” he said.
“We shot the whole film in Tasmania, so logistically – that was the biggest challenge. I was a producer on this film too – so organizing everyone’s flights, accommodation, food etc took up a lot of time!”
He encourages aspiring filmmakers to embrace the latest technology and stay ahead of industry changes.
“The industry is changing very quickly at the moment. Things are becoming more difficult and more easy at the exact same time,” Glen said.
“I honestly think ‘AI’ will play a big part in at least one of my next films. To take the tech and work load out of the art and potentially make things more pure from a creative perspective – really interests me.”
The journey isn’t over yet—he has a large-scale sci-fi film set in a video store ready to go, with the script completed and is waiting for the right circumstances to begin production.
Local audiences can watch the film next week at Lido Cinemas in Hawthorn and Metro Cinemas in Boronia, with tickets available at https://linktr.ee/AncestryRoad.
Tasmania screenings have already sold out, and the film will be released internationally on DVD/Blu-ray later this year, followed by a Channel 9 broadcast next year.
Cinema Australia shared that this anticipated digital release will be through Apple TV, Google Play, Prime Video and Vimeo On Demand.
Watch the official trailer via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDpchR3ssNY
