Having made the most intelligent, inventive and challenging science fiction film of the decade in Primer, first-time writer, director, actor, editor, production designer and score writer Shane Carruth, instead of making the follow-up film we were all expecting and eagerly awaiting, all but disappeared. Assumptions were made that, having made the film he presumably had kicking around in his head for some time, he returnd to his former career as a software engineer.

Then, at last, eleven years after his auspicious debut, Carruth returned with Upstream Colour, a work every bit as mesmerising, challenging and rewarding as Primer, a modern-day fable exploring the connection between nature and the human psyche and drawing on American philosopher Walden’s Life in the Woods.

A man and woman are strangely drawn together having unwittingly ingested a mind-altering grub. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of their wrecked lives. As with its predecessor, Upstream Colour won't work for everyone, but it has landed its share of critical plaudits, with Total Film calling it "Groundbreaking. Head mashing. Visionary. Overreaching. Profound.” while Little White Lies called it "Elegant, spare, mournful, joyous, affecting, economical, thrilling, frantic, experimental, overwhelming… the list goes on."

Upstream Colour will be released on UK DVD on 30th December 2013 from Metrodome Distribution at the RRP of £17.99. At least, we think it is. In what must be the fuzziest press release we've had in some time, we've been told only that the film will be getting a "home entertainment" release. Amazon are taking advance orders on both DVD and Blu-ray editions, so who knows. Given the film's arresting visual style, let's hope that proves to be the case.

No other details have been released as yet.