Vicky Krieps Performs Went Up the Hill Closing Song Live at TIFF Premiere

TIFF audiences were treated to a surprise musical performance at the world premiere of When we go up the hill Thursday night, when the film’s star, Vicky Krieps, performed the closing theme live.

Krieps wrote the song, Jillherself, inspired by the character she plays in New Zealand director Samuel Van Grinsven’s psychological ghost story. Krieps plays a grieving widow whose partner has recently died. At the funeral, she is confronted by her partner’s estranged son, Jack (Strange things (star Dacre Montgomery). Jack’s mother’s spirit returns to possess them both in turn, using their bodies to speak to each other and bring the couple closer together, with dangerous results.

Bankside Films sells I climbed the hill internationally, co-representing North American sales rights with CAA Media Finance.

“I always write a song for every character I play,” Krieps says. The Hollywood Reporter“But this is the first time I’ve been asked to include it in a film.”

Previously, she said, her songs were entirely personal. She would write them while a film was being made and perform them privately to herself, as a way for her to “exorcise” the emotions built up in the roles she was creating. Krieps said she began using this technique on Paul Thomas Anderson Ghost thread when she had young children at home “and I needed to quickly cleanse myself of that role so I could function normally again.”

In collaboration with New Zealand singer/songwriter Mark Perkins, Krieps has compiled an album of all his songs, each named after one of his film characters. Perkins, who performs under the name Merk, accompanied Krieps on guitar Thursday night at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre for his first performance.

“We’ve recorded the album, and I’ll release it in some form, maybe with a label,” Krieps says, “but I haven’t decided exactly what I want to do with it yet.”