Samuel Van Grinsven is a New Zealand / Australian screenwriter and director.

His sophomore feature film WENT UP THE HILL (2024) premiered as a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and was shortlisted for the 2025 Betty Roland Prize for Scriptwriting.

Starring Vicky Krieps (PHANTOM THREAD) and Dacre Montgomery (STRANGER THINGS), the intimate ghost story is produced by Causeway Films (TALK TO ME) and POP Film (SAVAGE) and was shot on location in New Zealand’s South Island.

His debut feature SEQUIN IN A BLUE ROOM (2019) world premiered at the Sydney Film Festival where it won the Audience Award for Best Feature Film. It soon became a festival hit screening at Palm Springs, TIFF Next Wave, BFI Flare and MIFF.

The film later received nominations for an Australian Academy Award (AACTA), Australian Directors Guild Award and German Independence Award as well as releasing theatrically in Australia, Germany and the UK.

In 2018, Samuel completed a Master of Arts in Directing with a research area focused on the New Queer Cinema movement of the 90s. He was the first AFTRS student to complete a feature film, SEQUIN IN A BLUE ROOM, as his graduate thesis film.

His prior short films have been selected for both domestic and international film festivals, including Cinequest California and Cannes Film Festival des Antipodes.

For a full CV please contact info@rgm.com.au.