Home Video
IFC Saves ‘The Survivalist’ From Extinction
Back in 2015, Alchemy had acquired North American distribution rights to writer/director Stephen Fingleton’s post-apocalyptic thriller The Survivalist, which premiered at that year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Then, the company that also acquired Rob Zombie’s 31 and Bernard Rose’s new Frankenstein tale, as well as the werewolf movie Howl, went out of business, leaving many films in limbo.
Well, IFC Midnight saved the film, slating it for release in select theaters and on VOD beginning May 19th.
The film stars Martin McCann, Mia Goth and Olwen Fouéré in the tale of a starving woman and her teenage daughter who meet up with a man eking out a living deep in the forest.
A time of starvation. The Survivalist lives off a small plot of land hidden deep in forest protecting his crop from intruders with his shotgun and improvised traps. But the long years alone have taken their toll on him and he is beginning to lose his grip on reality.
Everything changes when a starving woman called KATHRYN and her teenage daughter, MILJA, discover the farm. Desperate for shelter, the mother offers up her daughter to spend the night with him in return for bed and board. Overcome with desire, Survivalist breaks his strict code of self-preservation and accepts them into his cabin. As the exchange becomes an uneasy ongoing arrangement, the women plot to get rid of Survivalist and have the farm for themselves. But just as they are about to put their plan into action, an intruder kidnaps Milja and Survivalist risks his life to save her. As he is nursed back to health by the women, food runs short on the farm and they are forced to make desperate decisions to survive.
The Survivalist was produced by Wayne Marc Godfrey, Robert Jones and David Gilbery and produced and financed by The Fyzz Facility alongside Northern Ireland Screen, the BFI and Goldcrest. K5 International is handling international sales.
One of contemporary horror’s best werewolf movies is 2017’s Good Manners, and it’s finally set to receive a proper physical media release.
Icarus Films is partnering with OCN Distribution to unleash a new Blu-ray that’s now available to preorder via Vinegar Syndrome. and with a limited edition slipcover.
Set in São Paulo, the film follows Clara, a lonely nurse from the outskirts of the city who is hired by mysterious and wealthy Ana to be the nanny of her soon to be born child. Against all odds, the two women develop a strong bond. But a fateful night marked by a full moon changes their plans.
Good Manners is the second collaboration between filmmakers Juliana Rojas and Marco Dutra, who write and direct. Zama’s Rui Poças‘ cinematography captures this unique werewolf tale described as “Disney meets Jacques Tourneur.”
Our own Trace Thurman wrote in his review, “With Good Manners, Rojas and Dutro have made one of the best werewolf movies ever made. That they are able juggle commentaries on racism and classism while still managing to tell two deeply affecting love stories is remarkable.”
BONUS FEATURES:
- Commentary from film critics Shelagh Rowan-Legg and Carolyn Mauricette
- 12-page booklet with an essay by film critic Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer
- Making-of short film: The Making of a Werewolf (2 mins)
- Two additional short films from the filmmakers: A STEM (15 mins), directed by Juliana Rojas & Marco Dutras, and DOPPELGANGER (24 mins), directed by Juliana Rojas
You must be logged in to post a comment.