Exclusives
Festival Favourite American Mary Picked Up By Anchor Bay
Jen and Sylvia Soska, otherwise known as the Twisted Twins, first came to our attention back in 2009 with the outrageous onslaught of insanity that was Dead Hooker In A Trunk; their micro-budget debut that quickly became a cult hit the world over.
But Dead Hooker was done with no money when the movie world wasn’t ready to believe that two feisty females from Vancouver had what it takes to leave a mark on the horror genre. Oh how wrong they were. The Soska’s came back this year with American Mary, premiering at London’s Frightfest to an enthralled audience and receiving nothing but shimmering reviews across the board. Their Frightfest success was to be the first in a string of festival experiences which has seen fans, critics and academics alike heap praise upon the twisted twosome.
Earlier on in the year we told you how Universal Studios secured the international distribution rights to American Mary; no minor accomplishment for two indie film-makers on their sophomore effort. Well, it seems the whole world is finally sitting up to take notice of the Soskas as the newly christened Queens of horror announced last night at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival that Anchor Bay will be distributing the film throughout Canada.
You can’t help but wonder if this is but another small step towards world domination from the Soska sisters who have taken the horror community by storm. American Mary is one of the most boldly original genre films of the year and will no doubt go on to great success after the festival circuit.
Exclusives
New Documentaries Explore the Cult Legacies of ‘The Keep’ and ‘Wolfen’; Watch the Trailers Now [Exclusive]
Undersung werewolf gem Wolfen and Michael Mann’s The Keep get the spotlight in a pair of feature documentaries acquired by Antenna Releasing.
A World War II Fairy Tale, which covers the infamous production of and reception to The Keep, will receive a limited theatrical release in October, followed by a TVOD release on Apple/Amazon. The Keep will also screen as a double feature for some showings.
For Uncovering Wolfen, Antenna eyes a limited theatrical release for 2027. Both films are currently available for booking via Antenna prior to their theatrical and digital releases.
Both documentaries are directed by Stewart Buck, who co-helms with Stéphane Piter on A World War II Fairy Tale.
“We at Antenna are obsessed with film history,” said Chief Acquisitions Officer Billy Ray Brewton. “Stewart has done such a remarkable job of really diving into the deepest recesses of how these films were made and, in doing so, has created the definitive histories of both projects.”
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Antenna Releasing!” said director Buck. “It’s refreshing to see a filmmaker-friendly approach to distribution with people who know what it’s like to be in the trenches with independent projects that struggle to find a home in the crowded marketplace.”
Check out our exclusive trailer and poster reveal of both documentaries below.
Released in 1983, Michael Mann’s The Keep was a notorious box office bomb, critically lambasted and all but forgotten for years, save for the fascination with Tangerine Dream’s iconic score. In recent years, the film has enjoyed a bit of a resurgence and is widely considered a cult classic, though director Michael Mann and many cast members refuse to acknowledge it.
Wolfen, on the other hand, was critical success but was overshadowed heavily by its flashier 1981 siblings An American Werewolf in London and The Howling. It’s also a trailblazer for socio-political horror, and the doc will explore that via the craftspeople who made it.
Look for them both in theaters soon. Stay tuned for more as it arrives.
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