30WEST has acquired North American distribution rights to Michael Pearce’s Beast starring Jessie Buckley (Taboo, War and Peace), Johnny Flynn (Clouds of Sils Maria, Song One) and Geraldine James (45 Years, Calendar Girls). The Protagonist Pictures repped psychological thriller is the first feature-length project from writer/director Pearce and received strong reviews after its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Saturday night.

“Beast centers around a small island community where a troubled young woman falls for a mysterious outsider who empowers her to escape from her oppressive family. When he comes under suspicion for a series of brutal murders she defends him at all costs and learns what she is capable of.”

Beast is a Film4 and BFI presentation of an Agile Films and Stray Bear Films Production and was produced by Stray Bear Films’ Ivana MacKinnon (The Scouting Book for Boys, War Book) and Lauren Dark (War Book), and Kristian Brodie (Next Goal Wins) for Agile Films. Film4’s Sam Lavender, the BFI’s Natascha Wharton, Agile Films’ Myles Payne and David Staniland, and David Kosse all serve as executive producers on the feature. Beast was developed and funded by Film4 and the BFI (with National Lottery funding).