LIGHTNING ENTERTAINMENT AMPS UP CANNES SLATE WITH PAIR OF HORROR/THRILLERS
Victor Salva’s “Dark House” and Creature-Feature “Indigenous” Making International Marketplace Debuts
As demand for commercial horror/thriller fare continues to rise in the global marketplace, Lightning Entertainment has bolstered its offerings in the space, acquiring international sales rights to two highly sought-after titles, “Indigenous” and “Dark House,” which will debut in Cannes. The announcement was made today by Lightning Entertainment’s EVP & General Manager Ken DuBow.
“It is clear that movies in the horror/thriller genre continue to elicit the most enthusiasm among movie going audiences worldwide and it’s our job to help meet the needs of distributors looking to build a pipeline of strong commercial offerings,” said Lightning sales and acquisitions consultant Richard S. Guardian. “’Indigenous’ and ‘Dark House’ are two great examples of films with breakout potential and we’re excited to have them on our slate and begin introducing to buyers in Cannes.”
Set to screen for Market World Premiere screenings in Cannes, “Dark House” is directed by celebrated genre director Victor Salva (“Jeepers Creepers,” “Peaceful Warrior”) and stars Tobin Bell (Jigsaw from the “Saw” franchise), Luke Kleintank (TVs “Pretty Little Liars,” “Bones”) and Zack Ward (“Transformers,” “Devil’s Tomb”).
On his 23rd birthday, Nick is summoned by his mother to the asylum where she has been institutionalized since his childhood. Hoping that her request to see him is a sign of improvement, Nick is stunned by her revelation that the father he thought was dead is really alive, and that he may know the origin of Nick’s terrible psychic gift. Nick sets out to find his father with his best friend and girlfriend. Every road they take on the terrifying journey leads them back to the same abandoned mansion – a house which Nick thought had only existed in his childhood imagination. Finally succumbing to the will of the house, Nick becomes embroiled in an epic battle with a horrific dark force…
“Indigenous,” following sold-out screenings in Tribeca’s Midnight Screenings section, is directed by Alastair Orr (“Expiration”), and stars Pierson Fode (“Kill Game”), Lindsey McKeon (“Airline Disaster”), Sofia Pernas (“Age of the Dragons,” “Underground”) and Jaime Anderson (“L’American,” “The Kid”).
Shot on location in Panama, the film follows a group of friends who travel from Los Angeles to exotic Panama for a week of surfing and partying in a lush tropical paradise. Befriending a beautiful local woman in their hotel bar, they learn of a secret jungle hike to a pristine waterfall nearby. A local surfer cautions them strongly against the journey into the dense jungles of the Darien Gap, warning that other gringos in search of the legendary waterfall had mysteriously disappeared into the rainforest, never to be seen or heard from again.
Ignoring his warnings, the group convinces the woman to guide them to the picturesque waterfall, thinking that they have nothing to fear with a local as their guide. What begins as a fun outing quickly turns terrifying when their guide mysteriously vanishes after a romantic tryst at the falls. As night closes in, the friends realize too late the truth behind the warnings— horrific, bloodthirsty, flesh-eating creatures are now stalking them. The mangled survivors rush to jungle caves for shelter, only to realize they’ve entered the monsters’ lair!
Lightning’s SVP Joseph Dickstein negotiated the deal for DARK HOUSE with Paradigm’s Meaghan Oliver and for INDIGENOUS with XYZ’s Nick Bolton.
About Lightning Entertainment:
Established in 2001 and based in Beverly Hills, CA, Lightning Entertainment is a leading independent entertainment company specializing in the international sales, licensing, representation, marketing and distribution of premier independent content in all available media. With a strong presence at major international film markets and established relationships with key distributors in global territories, Lightning focuses on monetizing superior films theatrically and in ancillary markets including home entertainment, television, emerging media, and video-on-demand & digital platforms. The company represents one of the largest libraries of high-quality pictures in today’s independent marketplace.
Lightning Entertainment distributes films of every genre in the United States and Canada, boasting a remarkable presence on both in-store and digital shelf space. Their distribution arm reaches all available nationwide home entertainment platforms including (but not limited to) Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Redbox, Netflix, iTunes, Google Play, Hulu, Xbox, Sony Playstation, Amazon, Vudu, and most major video-on-demand cable providers. Lightning Entertainment’s domestic distribution branch features the ability to adaptively generate domestic revenue in a rapidly changing industry.
Notable films on Lightning’s slate have included the acclaimed drama JUNEBUG, which garnered Amy Adams a best supporting actress Academy Award® nomination, BONNEVILLE, the roadtrip comedy starring Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, and Joan Allen, BEAUTIFUL BOY, the critically praised drama starring Maria Bello and Michael Sheen, romance drama LOVE AND HONOR starring Liam Hemsworth, documentary HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING DRUGS with Susan Sarandon and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, comedy THE HOT FLASHES starring Brooke Shields, Daryl Hannah, and Virginia Madsen, the powerful HEALING starring Hugo Weaving and Don Hany, and Toronto Film Festival critically acclaimed WE GOTTA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE starring McKenzie Davis, Jeremy Allen White, and Logan Huffman.
For more information on Lightning Entertainment, please visit www.lightning-ent.com.
