‘River’ Cast and Director Marvel at Pulling Off Their Long Days in the Water: ‘This Shoot Was Not Easy’

The cast and writer/director of the horror film "River" expressed amazement at their ability to complete the challenging days of filming on water. During an interview at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, Joshua Giuliano, Jane Levy, Jessica Roche, Dane DiLiegro, and Max Mattern discussed the grueling nature of the shoot, which took place on both a real river and a man-made pond.

Levy remarked that the shoot was "not easy" and that Giuliano's flexibility and creativity in adapting to the difficult conditions were impressive. Giuliano cited Steven Spielberg's experience on "Jaws" as a source of inspiration, and he mentioned that his future films would be on land. The film follows three estranged siblings (Levy, Roche, and Mattern) who reunite to scatter their dad's ashes on a river and face a masked killer (DiLiegro) throughout the night.

Giuliano noted that shooting on water slowed down the process, often cutting the number of scenes achievable in a day in half. However, he adapted to the situation, rethinking plans and pivoting as needed. Roche recalled the intense heat and cold they faced during filming, with some days requiring urgent bathroom breaks on the boat due to the lack of time to return to land.

Despite the harsh conditions, Giuliano's calm demeanor helped ease the actors' nerves. Roche credited Giuliano's leadership and the entire production team, including cinematographer Nick, for their resilience and ability to overcome the challenges. The post reflects on the successful completion of the long days spent filming "River" on water.