This Kelowna filmmaker is doing what Hitchcock dreamed of!

Kelowna-born filmmaker Andrew Holmes is making waves in the film industry with his latest feature, The Island Between Tides—an eerie, emotionally charged adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s 1920 play Mary Rose.

Co-directed with longtime collaborator Austin Andrews, the film transforms the haunting tale of loss, time, and redemption against the rugged backdrop of northern British Columbia.

From Kelowna to Hollywood

While Kelowna isn’t traditionally known as a filmmaking hub, Andrew Holmes credits his journey to an inspiring teacher at Rutland Middle School who introduced him to video production.

“My mom’s an author, so I got to see her create stories at home. I’ve always loved the idea of fabricating a story,” Holmes told Kelowna10. “Filmmaking wasn’t really something people from Kelowna did. A good friend of mine, Dakota Pool, told me he had friends in Vancouver and said, ‘You can crash with them—you should check out becoming a filmmaker.’ So I moved down and just started doing it.”

Holmes recently wrapped up post-production on a biography of action icon Dolph Lundgren. His other works include Breaking Olympia: The Phil Heath Story, Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo, and Ice Guardians.

A Story That Spans Generations

The film is an adaptation of Mary Rose, originally set in Scotland. The story follows a young woman who disappears on a tidal island and returns 20 years later, unchanged, while those around her have aged. The filmmakers have reimagined the story in Prince Rupert, B.C., where the protagonist, struggling with her young son, vanishes under similar circumstances and must rebuild her life upon her return.

“This movie is all about loss and grief,” Andrew Holmes said. “[Co-director] Austin [Andrews] lost his father at a young age, and this play really struck a chord with him. It felt like the right story to bring to life in a way that modern audiences could connect with.”

Holmes added that when Mary Rose was playing in London’s West End, Alfred Hitchcock was in the audience and fell in love with it. For years, he tried to turn it into a feature film, but studios rejected the idea, saying, “No one wants to see a movie about a ghost.”

“[Hitchcock] told his biographer that his greatest regret in life was not being able to make Mary Rose into a film,” Holmes said. “We thought, ‘Okay, we have this incredible story—one that we love—and now we can finish the job Hitchcock couldn’t. It felt like the right time to do it.”

A Film That Leaves an Impact

While The Island Between Tides carries eerie undertones and psychological depth, Holmes explains the film is more than just a supernatural thriller—it’s a reflection on loss, time, and human connection.

“On the surface, it may seem spooky, but when you look deeper, you can ask yourself, ‘What does this mean to me? How do I process grief?’” he said. “I want people to be entertained, to escape for 90 minutes while they’re in the theatre, forget about what’s going on at home, and really fall into the story.”

Where to Watch?

The film is currently screening in Kelowna, Prince Rupert, Victoria, Salmon Arm, and Williams Lake, with plans to expand further into northern B.C. It will be available for purchase on iTunes in mid-April and will stream on Super Channel in June.

Tickets can be bought online.