ReportWire

Tag: Black Mandala

  • Black Mandala, Red Owl Set Eight Genre Titles for EFM (EXCLUSIVE)

    [ad_1]

    Black Mandala Films and Red Owl Films are loading up for Berlin’s European Film Market with eight genre titles spanning Lovecraftian horror, queer mockumentary and an award-winning Ecuadorian fantasy.

    The slate includes several market premieres alongside recent acquisitions and festival selections.

    Black Mandala’s lineup includes “The Behemoth,” a supernatural horror film from director Kai E. Bogatzki that draws on Lovecraftian mythology and employs practical effects. The film builds tension before transforming into what the company describes as an unhinged, blood-soaked cosmic nightmare.

    “Blood Covenant” is a horror anthology featuring Maika Monroe (“It Follows”), Aria Bedmar (“Hermana Muerte”) and Joe Keery (“Stranger Things”). Framed by a meta-narrative exploring the price of artistic creation, the film unfolds through multiple standalone stories linked by a demonic pact.

    “Lily’s Ritual,” directed by Manu Herrera, follows four young women who retreat to a remote forest setting. The film stars Maggie García, Patricia Peñalver, Eve Ryan and Elena Gallardo, blending occult mythology with psychological tension.

    “Tabula Rasa” is a psychological thriller led by Spanish actor Macarena Gómez, known for her award-nominated role in “Musarañas.” The film merges family drama with atmospheric suspense.

    Under the Red Owl Films banner, “Ex” from director Nicanor Loreti merges cosmic horror with relationship-driven drama, unfolding across one surreal night. “No Blood in My Hands” is a psychological thriller set within Berlin’s underground art scene, following a hallucinatory descent into paranoia.

    “Fishgirl,” written, directed, shot and edited by Javier Cutrona, was filmed entirely in Ecuador and won a prize at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. The surreal fantasy drama explores themes of identity, memory and psychological transformation.

    “The Rebrand,” directed by Montreal-based filmmaker Kaye Adelaide, is a queer horror mockumentary featuring an all-queer cast and crew. The found-footage style film has received multiple festival awards.

    Auckland-based Black Mandala, founded by Michael Kraetzer and Nicolas Onetti in 2017, handles more than 150 titles and specializes in independent horror and genre distribution.

    [ad_2]

    Naman Ramachandran

    Source link

  • Snuff Film Thriller ‘Hollywood Hells’ Boarded by Black Mandala Ahead of AFM (EXCLUSIVE)

    [ad_1]

    New Zealand-based genre sales outfit Black Mandala has boarded “Hollywood Hells,” a thriller that takes aim at the entertainment industry’s dark side, ahead of the upcoming American Film Market (AFM).

    “When a struggling actress attends an exclusive Hollywood party, she discovers a cabal of power brokers who produce real-life snuff films for the elite. As she fights for her life in the shadowy underbelly of fame, she turns their own cameras against them—becoming not just a survivor, but the director of their final cut,” reads the synopsis from Black Mandala. “‘Hollywood Hells’ promises to deliver a razor-sharp critique of celebrity culture – where fame and death are part of the same performance.”

    The cast includes Fernanda Romero, known for “The Curse of Wolf Mountain,” alongside Brian Austin Green, whose credits span “Golden,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Beverly Hills 90210.” Comedian Jiaoying Summers (“Hot Girl Summers: Comedy InvAsian,” “American Bistro”) and producer-actor Bruna Rubio (“Vampiras: The Brides,” “The House”) round out the ensemble.

    U.S.-based Goldheart Productions is the production company, adding to its portfolio of boundary-pushing genre fare following Sitges Festival bows for “Vampiras: The Brides” and “Mermaid Killer.” The film has played HorrorHound, Cinema Scares and Bloody Mirror, with more festival stops on deck.

    The collaboration signals an expanding relationship between the two companies, which are already at work on another feature, “Abominable.”

    Michael Kraetzer and Nicolas Onetti launched Black Mandala in 2017, building it into a leading player in independent horror and genre distribution. Operating from Auckland, New Zealand, the outfit handles north of 100 titles and maintains a presence at Cannes, Berlin and AFM, championing visually striking material and cultivating ongoing relationships with genre filmmakers globally.

    [ad_2]

    Naman Ramachandran

    Source link