Movies
Two More Join ‘The Hypnotist’!
Over the summer we reported that Mikael Persbrandt – who stars in Peter Jackson’s forthcoming Hobbit – had landed the lead role in The Hypnotist as Detective Linna who “investigates a grisly triple homicide where the only survivor, a young boy, is too traumatized to testify. Linna convinces a famous psychologist, against his better judgment, to hypnotize the boy, setting off a terrifying chain of events.”
Now Lena Olin (The Ninth Gate, Chocolat) and Tobias Zilliacus (Iris) have joined the cast as well.
Per Hollywood Reporter “ [the film], which begins principle photography in Stockholm in January, will be Hallstrom’s first Swedish film in 24 years. The film’s theatrical bow in Sweden is planned for October, 2012.
The Hypnotist is the first in a planned series of eight Joona Linna novels from Lars Kepler – a pseudonym for Swedish husband and wife authors Alexander Ahndoril and Alexandra Coelho Ahndoril. The third novel in the series was recently published in Sweden. Svensk and Sonet have optioned all eight books in the series for feature adaptations.” 
The feature directorial debut of Emily Robinson (Eighth Grade) is titled Ugly Cry, and Deadline reports that Obscured Releasing has picked up the movie for U.S. distribution.
Ugly Cry is expected to be released in theaters this Fall and later on Digital.
Also starring Emily Robinson, the horror-comedy follows a young Hollywood actress’ dark descent into body dysmorphia as she struggles to fulfill impossible beauty standards.
Ryan Simpkins, Aaron Dominguez and Robin Tunney also star.
Emily Robinson wrote the film in addition to directing and starring.
“Ugly Cry contemplates the horror of having a body in the age of the internet. What’s scarier, cringier, and funnier than modern society?” said Robinson. “Our collaboration with Obscured began at SXSW, which made it clear no one understands our genre-bendy feature better than they do. We’re thrilled to be partnering with them for our North American release.”
“Emily Robinson’s feature debut represents the discovery of a true talent in filmmaking,” said Obscured Releasing. “Her writing is so acute, her performance as Delaney finds all the nuances within the character, and her masterful direction of an incredible cast reminds us of the early thrillers of Hitchcock with an acerbic modern lens.”