XLrator Media Acquires U.S. Rights to Supernatural Thriller THALE

XLrator Media has acquired all U.S. rights to the Norwegian supernatural thriller THALE which screens tonight at the Toronto International Film Festival's Vanguard section. The deal was announced today by the filmmakers and Barry Gordon, CEO of XLrator Media, which will release the film in early 2013.

Written and directed by Aleksander L. Nordaas, THALE is produced by Bendik Heggen Strønstad under his Yesbox Productions banner, co-produced by Lars L. Marøy at Film Found FUZZ and executive produced by Gudrun Giddings, Tore Fredrik Dreyer and Lars Andreas Hellebust. XYZ Films is representing the U.S. rights while Epic Pictures is handling international sales.

"THALE is a haunting and atmospheric thriller that grips you from the opening scene to the chilling finale," said Gordon. "It once again shows Scandinavia to be a rich wellspring for today's most compelling and stylish thrillers, from Let the Right One In to Troll Hunter to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels."

Producer Bendik Heggen Strønstad said: "We are looking forward to working with XLrator on the US distribution as we have the same understanding of the film and how it should be presented. We anticipate unveiling THALE to audiences this evening in Toronto and around the world next year."

THALE is the story of a mythical "huldra," a beautiful, tailed female forest creature, who is discovered in a concealed cellar by two crime scene cleaners. The creature is unable to speak so she can't explain how she came to be there, but the pieces of the puzzle soon come together. She has been kept down there for decades, for reasons which will soon emerge. Someone is approaching from the outside. They want her back. The film stars Silje Reinåmo, Jon Sigve Skard, Erlend Nervold, Morten Andresen, Sunniva Lien, Roland Åstrand.

The deal was negotiated by Gordon, Nate Bolotin of XYZ Films, and Gudrun Giddings and Kim H. Swartz at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP.