Reminiscent of the chilling, atmospheric tone of powerhouse horror films like Hereditary, the 2024 indie title Family Portrait delves into the intriguing narrative of a family's seemingly simple morning turned into a surreal exploration of loss and transformation.

For starters, we witness a multigenerational family coming together for a planned group picture that spirals into chaos when the matriarch mysteriously vanishes without a trace. As one of the daughters (Deragh Campbell) frantically tries to locate her missing mother to maintain the facade of normalcy, the intricate dynamics of the family are slowly peeled back.

Alongside the daughter-turned-matriarch is her stoic, very supportive boyfriend Olek, played by Chris Galust, whose portrayal of a character on the outskirts brings extra depth to the story — drawing viewers into the unraveling of relationships and identities that masterfully leads the audience on a journey where conventional storytelling isn’t required.

Now, Galust is opening up to us about the film (currently streaming on Metrograph At Home) and the incomparable story at the core of Family Portrait.

Congratulations on the release and success of Family Portrait! Can you tell us about your character in the film and his particular role in the family dynamic?

Chris Galust: Olek is an outsider, a fish out of water, someone who is seeing this “American family” and their dynamics for the first time. His character acts as the lens through which the audience experiences this family. He is almost like our bird's eye view of what is happening to this family.

What drew you to this project and working with writer/director Lucy Kerr in bringing this story to life?

Chris Galust: Since I started my acting journey I have been very interested in meeting with other artists. I really liked Lucy's vision and the story she wanted to tell.

What was probably the most challenging aspect of playing a character who’s essentially kept at a distance during this surreal family portrait setting?

Chris Galust: I am a lot like Olek in the fact that I tend to keep to myself. His character really resonated with me. He wanted to be there for someone important to him but also felt like he didn't know how to.

There’s definitely a recurring theme of your character feeling misunderstood wether its culturally, socially, etc. Did Kerr offer you any additional information about your character’s thought process to help depict those nuances – or was that something that just happened organically?

Chris Galust: Kerr and I had meetings to discuss Olek. What came out onscreen was a collaboration between the discussions we had and me bringing the character Lucy had created to life.

In what ways did you collaborate with your co-star Deragh Campbell to capture the essence of your characters' relationship on screen?

Chris Galust: It really helped that the film was shot on a secluded ranch with not much around it. We were able to just be around each other, getting to know each other, that lent to our character's relationship.

While it’s clearly a compelling family-driven script, this is also a story that’s conveyed through a lot of strong visuals and leaves room for interpretation. Was there something about the final version of the film that you were particularly impressed by?

Chris Galust: All of it! The way that Lucy and Lydia really worked together to use our location as a character was beautiful. And the way that the sound design immerses the audience is truly captivating.

In closing, what do you hope audiences will take away from the film and your character's contribution to the overall narrative?

Chris Galust: This film is not wrapped up in a neat bow and I think that is what makes our film special. It allows the audience to ask questions and isn’t that what all great films should do?