A scene from 'Whitetail'

Whitetail review: TIFF 2025

‘Whitetail’ is a slow but sustained drama that follows a woman forced to confront a past she tried so hard to put behind her.

Jen (Natasha O’Keeffe) is a ranger working to conserve a small forest in southern Ireland. While patrolling one day, she makes a grisly discovery. Surveillance footage reveals a poacher roaming the protected area. As she tries to convince the local police to investigate, another problem arises with the return of her first love, Oscar (Aaron McCusker).

The pair were involved in a horrific accident that changed the course of their lives. The unexpected reunion causes Jen to regress. Her renewed trauma is overwhelming and she lacks the tools to manage it, so she revives old habits instead.

Read the full review of Whitetail at thatshelf.com

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