Northern Ontario-shot werewolf western Last Moon heads to Cinéfest Sudbury gala
A still from Last Moon, Brandon D. Cox’s first feature, which was filmed in Powassan, Ont., and screens at Cinéfest Sudbury on Sept. 24.
Photo credit: Cinéfest Sudbury.
Brandon D. Cox’s first feature, Last Moon, arrives at Cinéfest Sudbury on Sept. 24 after filming in Powassan, Ontario, last summer. The period werewolf Western has been selected for the festival’s Thursday gala presentation.
Cinéfest says the feature was filmed in Powassan, while Ontario Creates listed the production under North Bay during its July 14 to Aug. 8, 2025 shoot. Other Animal Entertainment produced the film, with Ryan Keller as producer and Derek Diorio, David Straiton and Jonathan Hlibka as executive producers.
The story is set in Northern Ontario as well. The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation describes Last Moon as taking place during the region’s frontier era, while Cinéfest’s synopsis follows a former bounty hunter who has assumed a new name and settled with his family on a remote farm. After an animal attacks the family, he and his daughter pursue it into the woods and discover its connection to a massacre from his past. Cinéfest describes the film as combining Western and werewolf traditions.
Last Moon marks Cox’s first feature as a director. During the 2025 shoot, he described the project on his own LinkedIn account as his “first feature film,” and production material he shared credits him as both writer and director.
The production received $500,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation as part of a larger round of provincial support for film and television projects in the North Bay area. NOHFC identifies Last Moon as an Other Animal Entertainment production and places the story specifically in Northern Ontario.
Keller later pointed to the regional crew in discussing the production, calling Last Moon “a testament to the talent of the outstanding northern crew and community.” He also credited NOHFC and local government support with helping maintain film and television production and employment in the region.
Cinéfest lists Shawn Doyle, Colin Cunningham, Lora Burke and Mina Borody as the film’s starring cast. Its official listing identifies Last Moon as a 90-minute Canadian production distributed by Raven Banner Entertainment.
Last Moon screens at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at SilverCity Sudbury as a Cinéfest Gala Presentation. The 38th Cinéfest Sudbury International Film Festival continues through Sept. 27.
