American Film Market Dailies

ARCLIGHT FILMS TO HANDLE INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS FOR ROMANTIC HORROR FILM ‘CARMILLA’ Starring Tobias Menzies and Greg Wise

Arclight Films is set to handle international distribution rights, excluding UK, Australia, and Germany, for the romantic horror feature film Carmilla, the solo directorial debut of writer-director Emily Harris, starring newcomers Hannah Rae and Devrim Lingnau alongside Jessica Raine (PBS’ Call the Midwife) and leading British actors Tobias Menzies (“Outlander”) and Greg Wise (Sense and Sensibility) who were both recently featured in Netflix’s “The Crown”. Arclight Films is screening and introducing the film to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market. Award-winning Harris’ co-directing credits include the British drama Love is Thicker Than Water starring Johnny Flynn and Borges And I which won the Festival Prize at the London Independent Film Festival. An atmospheric, coming-of-age love story steeped in eerie mystery, Carmilla is a reimagining of Sheridan La Fanu’s 19th century novella of the same name. 15-year-old Lara (Hannah Rae) lives with her father (Greg Wise) and her strict governess, Miss Fontaine (Jessica Raine), in total isolation and is struggling to find an outlet for her curiosity and burgeoning sexuality. When a carriage crash nearby brings a young girl into the family home to recuperate, Lara is enchanted by the eponymous Carmilla (Devrim Lingnau).

“This brilliant film has both substance and a visually striking execution. Emily Harris and the outstanding cast and crew did a fantastic job bringing this searing and passionate coming-of-age story to the screen in a rich, dangerous and sensual manner. Critics love the film, and we are certain that distributors worldwide will embrace its gothic roots too,” said Arclight Films Chairman Gary Hamilton.

With a predominantly female crew, the production team includes production design by Alexandra Walker (Harry Potter), hair and make-up by Julie Kendrick (The White Queen), editing by Rebecca Lloyd (American Honey) with a score composed by Philip Selway from the critically acclaimed and award-winning band Radiohead, costume design by the Academy Award-winning John Bright (A Room With A View), and cinematography by Michael Wood (Eight Days A Week).

Lizzie Brown and Emily Precious of Bird Flight Films are producers alongside executive producer Tilly Films.

Following its Official Selection at a number of leading international film festivals including Edinburgh Film Festival, SITGES, Chicago International Film Festival, and Mill Valley, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London hosted the virtual UK Premiere screening on October 15th, 2020. The film opened to rave reviews with Film Threat saying “Carmilla is about the allure of the unknown, the forbidden, about discovering yourself and finding a strange solace in danger. Sensual, poetic, dark, and gothic,” and The Times calling it “clever adaptation of Sheridan Le Fanu's garish gothic novella.” Film Movement released the film in the US in July this year.  

Arclight Films’ current slate of films also includes the  following completed titles that will screen at AFM: Twist starring Michael Caine, Lena Heady, and Rita Ora that will screen privately for buyers; sports drama Streamline with Jason Isaacs and Levi Miller; Venice Film Festival Official Selection The Furnace; magical coming-of-age story Chasing Wonders starring Paz Vega and Edward James Olmos;  martial arts film The Foggy Mountain; horror-thriller Bloody Hell; cult thriller The Sinners created by Courtney Paige and the warmhearted comedy Butter.  Additional completed titles available are; Here Are the Young Men starring Travis Fimmel, Dean-Charles Chapman, Finn Cole, and Anya Taylor-Joy; haunting thriller Let It Snow; Sundance’s critically acclaimed sci-fi thriller Possessor starring Andrea Riseborough, Christopher Abbott, Sean Bean, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, directed by Brandon Cronenberg released on October 2nd in the U.S. by NEON.

Still courtesy of Arclight Films - photo Nick Wall