Neon has acquired the North American and UK distribution rights to a film called “Handling the Undead” that will reunite the distributor with its stars from “The Worst Person in the World,” Renate Reinsve and Anders Danielsen Lie.
“Handling the Undead” is the feature directorial debut of Thea Hvistendahl and is based on a book by John Ajvide Lindqvist, who is the author of horror classics that have also been adapted into features “Let the Right One In” and “Border.”
The film is currently shooting and no specific release date plans were revealed. Here’s the full synopsis:
On an abnormally hot summer day in Oslo, a strange electric field surrounds the city as a collective migraine spreads across town. TVs, lightbulbs, and electronics go haywire, the chaos reaching a debilitating crescendo when suddenly, it’s over. “Handling the Undead” is a character driven horror/drama dealing with fundamental emotions around grief and mortality and the battle of accepting what we can’t control which weaves together three families through their loss.
Bjørn Sundquist, Bente Børsum and og Bahars Pars also star in “Handling the Undead” alongside “The Worst Person in the World” actors Reinsve and Lie.
Hvistendahl, who previously directed the documentary “Adjø Montebello” and several short films, including “Virgins4lyfe” that premiered at SXSW, also co-wrote the script with the author Lindqvist.
“Handling the Undead” is produced by Kristin Emblem and Guri Neby under their Einar Film banner (with whom Anonymous Content has their Scandinavian joint venture Anonymous Content Nordic). The film is co-produced by Zentropa Sweden and Filmiki, and supported by The Norwegian Film Institute, The Swedish Film Institute, Film i Väst, Nordisk Film & TV Fond and Oslo Film Fond.
TrustNordisk is representing the international distribution rights and Anonymous Content is representing the U.S. Neon’s Jason Wald negotiated the deal on behalf of NEON with Nick Shumaker at Anonymous Content on behalf of the filmmakers.
Neon’s “The Worst Person in the World” won Reinsve Best Actress at Cannes last year, and the film went on to receive two Oscar nominations. Neon has several other films playing the fall festival circuit, including Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” the Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness” and the David Bowie documentary “Moonage Daydream.”
