Shudder announced today that it is acquiring North American rights to Alice Lowe's pregnancy horror comedy PREVENGE. The film will be available on the premium thriller, suspense and horror video streaming service and play theatrically in New York and Los Angeles from March 24th, shortly after screening at the South By Southwest Film Festival.
PREVENGE marks the directorial debut from Lowe (star and writer of Ben Wheatley's "Sightseers"), who is a true triple threat, writing, directing, and acting in the film during her own real-life pregnancy. The film received praise from critics and audiences alike at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, as well as a British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Directorial Debut.
A pitch black, wryly British horror comedy from the mind of Alice Lowe ("Sightseers," "Hot Fuzz," "Paddington"), PREVENGE follows Ruth, a pregnant woman on a killing spree, that's as funny as it is vicious. It's her misanthropic unborn baby dictating Ruth's actions, holding society responsible for the absence of a father. The child speaks to Ruth from the womb, coaching her to lure and ultimately kill her unsuspecting victims. Struggling with her conscience, loneliness, and a strange strain of prepartum madness, Ruth must ultimately choose between redemption and destruction at the moment of motherhood.
Also featuring a remarkable '70s-throwback synth score by Toydrum and starring Gemma Whelan ("Game of Thrones"), Kate Dickie ("The Witch") and Jo Hartley ("Eddie the Eagle"), PREVENGE was called "Uniquely frightening and funny" by Variety , adding "Lowe's performance is a marvel."The Guardian praised it as "gruesomely successful," saying it "provides a nightmarish satirical twist on post- and antenatal depression." The Hollywood Reporter said Lowe evokes "a kind of deadpan, British kitchen-sink Dario Argento" and praised the film's "exhilarating disregard for conventional morality."
PREVENGE is the latest all-rights acquisition for Shudder, following recent premieres of J-Horror franchise mash-up SADAKO VS. KAYAKO, supernatural thriller DEAREST SISTER, suspenseful festival favorite SHREW'S NEST and acclaimed thriller miniseries BEYOND THE WALLS. With multiple exclusives premiering on the service per month alongside a rapidly expanding collection of genre favorites, Shudder is deeply committed to bringing the best of horror and suspense to all of its members.
Shudder GM Linda Pan said: "PREVENGE wowed us with its unique, masterful and darkly comedic take on the fears of an expectant mother and is a fantastic addition to the growing Shudder slate of exclusives. Alice Lowe's debut shows she is a genuine talent, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Shudder family."
Alice Lowe said: "I can't think of a more perfect home for my other baby, PREVENGE. As a dedicated and genuine horror film fan as well as a filmmaker, Shudder's strong mission to showcase genres within horror made it the only choice for the film."
PREVENGE was produced by Western Edge Pictures for The Gennaker Group. The deal for the film was negotiated by ICM Partners and XYZ Films for WEP and the Gennaker Group.
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