It was announced last month that Lightening Media had acquired 8 titles for release this fall on DVD, VOD and Digital Download. The best of the bunch is Martin Weisz’s chilling Grimm Love, a true story starring Thomas Kretschmann, Keri Russell, Thomas Huber, Simon Grobeck, Nikolai Kinski and Axel Wedekind. Taking place in Germany, graduate student Katie Armstrong researches cannibal killer Oliver Hagen for her thesis, becomes obsessed with her subject and ultimately plunges into a lifestyle similar to Hagen’s and the thousands of people like him. Bloody Disgusting got an exclusive drop on the trailer and DVD cover art. Check it all out below.
“Katie Armstrong, a young American woman studying Criminal Psychology in Germany finds herself inexplicably drawn to a murder case which would soon become the subject of her thesis. The psychology behind Oliver Hartwin, a homosexual cannibal killer who advertised on the Internet for a lover willing to be murdered and devoured as the ultimate act of love and self-sacrifice. As a woman whose past relationships have all failed, Katie doubts her own ability to find love and becomes obsessed with understanding their relationship.

While researching Oliver, Katie becomes entrenched in his life, and begins delve deeper and deeper into his past. She explores his childhood and the childhood of his victim looking for any clues as to what made him become what he is today. Piece by piece she fleshes them up by retracing both of their lives systematically. Their homes, their jobs, their relationships. From children into adulthood, she begins to lose herself in their story. With every new discovery, her emotions begin to get the better of her. Katie lets herself go, compulsively plunging into a deeply alienated lifestyle. This downward spiral culminates in the discovery of the video-tape made by Oliver recording the final moments of his victim’s life. Witnessing the courtship between the two men, and the final atrocity of the killing, Katie hits rock bottom. At the base of her own emotional sanity, she discovers the inner strength to pick herself and begin the smallest steps to rebuilding her life. ”

From June 21st until August 19th, fans will become the jury! Click here to participate in the “Demand It” voting competition and vote for their favorite trailer of the 8 films. The winning trailer will receive a limited theatrical release in late July. Voting fans will then be entered into a summer sweepstakes competition for a trip to Las Vegas and other prizes.

The other 7 titles include: Jaume Balaguero’s Fragile: A Ghost Story, the Calista Flockhart starrer from way back in 2005 (no kidding)! Let’s see, then there’s Darin Scott’s Dark House, the horrid Pig Hunt (from the director of Jason X), Road Kill (formerly Road Train), Hunger, The Tomb and The Haunting. For more information on any title, just click above. When a release date is locked, we’ll report back.