Neon has acquired the North American and UK distribution rights to a film called “Handling the Undead” which will reunite the distributor with its “Worst Person in the World” stars, Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie.
“Handling the Undead” is Thea Hvistendahl’s directorial debut and is based on a book by John Ajvide Lindqvist, author of horror classics that have also been adapted into the films “Let the Right One In” and “Border”.
The movie is currently filming and no specific release date plans were revealed. Here is the full synopsis:
On an abnormally hot summer day in Oslo, a strange electrical field surrounds the city as a mass migraine spreads throughout the city. TVs, light bulbs and electronics go haywire, the chaos reaches a debilitating crescendo when suddenly it’s over. “Handling the Undead” is a character-driven drama/horror that deals with core emotions around grief and mortality and the battle of accepting what we cannot control that unites three families through their loss.
Bjørn Sundquist, Bente Børsum and og Bahars Pars also star in “Handling the Undead” alongside actors Reinsve and Lie from “The Worst Person in the World.”
Hvistendahl, who previously directed the documentary “Adjø Montebello” and several short films, including “Virgins4lyfe” which premiered at SXSW, also co-wrote the script with author Lindqvist.
“Handling the Undead” is produced by Kristin Emblem and Guri Neby under their Einar Film banner (with whom Anonymous Content has its Scandinavian joint venture Anonymous Content Nordic). The film is co-produced by Zentropa Sweden and Filmiki, and is supported by the Norwegian Film Institute, the Swedish Film Institute, Film i Väst, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, and Oslo Film Fond.
TrustNordisk represents international distribution rights and Anonymous Content represents the US Jason Wald of Neon negotiated the deal on behalf of NEON with Nick Shumaker at Anonymous Content on behalf of the filmmakers.
Neon’s “The Worst Person in the World” won the Reinsve Award for Best Actress at Cannes last year, and the film received two Oscar nominations. Neon has several other films on the fall festival circuit, including Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” the Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness” and the David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream.”
