BACKPAY to Release on October 2 via Buffalo 8

Buffalo 8 will release BACKPAY, the neo-noir action thriller from Canadian filmmaker Mike Gallant, in the U.S. and UK on October 2, 2026. Written, directed, produced by and starring Gallant, the film follows two estranged childhood friends whose plan to collect a long-overdue debt quickly turns into a fight for survival.

Gallant stars as Steve, a desperate father struggling to hold together his marriage to his pregnant wife, Dawn (Seled Calderon), while drowning in financial pressure. When Steve reconnects with Murphy (Dwain Murphy), a former undercover cop haunted by his past as a criminal informant, the two devise what appears to be a straightforward plan: kidnap corrupt local politician Peter Freeman (Jason Pennell), crack his safe and use damaging information from his past to recover money Steve believes he is owed.

But nothing goes according to plan.

When Peter's acquaintance Ximena (Golden Madison) unexpectedly becomes entangled in the operation, Steve and Murphy's scheme begins to unravel. Old wounds resurface, loyalties shift and their mission quickly becomes a dangerous race against the clock. As the consequences of their choices close in, BACKPAY asks a deceptively simple question: How far would you go if you believed someone had taken everything you were owed?

The film stars Mike Gallant (The Duchess of Cancun), Dwain Murphy (Cross), Seled Calderon (Undertone), Golden Madison (Cry Wolf, Cross) and Jason Pennell (Cubicles, Silent Service).

At its core, BACKPAY explores the uneasy territory between justice and vengeance, challenging audiences to question where the line between right and wrong falls when desperation takes over.

'I wanted the audience to be questioning who they should root for,' says Gallant. 'Are they still the good guys if they are also taking an innocent person like Ximena hostage?'

Steve isn't a career criminal. Murphy isn't simply a disgraced cop. Peter isn't merely a corrupt politician. Each character carries a history of choices, consequences and unresolved debts that collide over the course of one increasingly dangerous night.

An All-Canadian Production

BACKPAY was made entirely with Canadian cast and crew, reflecting Gallant's commitment to creating an independent film with the talent and collaborators he knows and trusts.

Shot in Canada in just seven days, the production operated with a lean crew and tightly controlled schedule. Rather than allowing the constraints of a microbudget to limit the story, Gallant and his team focused on strong performances, sharp storytelling and making every element of the production count.

For Gallant, keeping the production Canadian was both a creative decision and an opportunity to showcase the depth of talent working within Canada's independent film community. 'I wanted to make this film with the great Canadian talent I knew, and I wanted to make it my way without any input from outside sources,' says Gallant.

The result is a tightly constructed action thriller with an all-Canadian creative team and a universal story of friendship, desperation and the consequences of trying to settle an old debt.

A Story Rooted in Real Life

While BACKPAY is a fictional crime thriller, its emotional core is rooted in Gallant's own experiences. The film grew out of his 2025 short PATERNAL, expanding its themes and characters into a feature-length story that explores what happens when financial desperation, family pressures and old debts collide.

Ultimately, BACKPAY is about much more than money. It is a story of brotherhood, fatherhood, betrayal, desperation and the consequences of believing you're simply taking back what you're owed.

Release & Distribution

Buffalo 8 handles worldwide distribution and music rights for BACKPAY.