Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to ‘The Ancestral,’ the disturbing new horror film from renowned director Le-Van Kiet (The Requin). The Company plans to release ‘The Ancestral’ on its horror streaming platform, SCREAMBOX, which is powered by Bloody Disgusting, later this year as a SCREAMBOX Original.
After suffering a family tragedy, a widower moves his two daughters to a centuries-old ancestral home. When both daughters fall prey to sleep paralysis and night terrors, their father seeks the help of a local psychologist. These chilling secrets and frightening visions eventually prove that not everything is what it seems in the old family house.
Credit: Cinedigm / Screambox‘The Ancestral’ released theatrically in Vietnam last year. It held the top spot for two consecutive weekends, making it the second consecutive success for the visionary director Kiet. His bold style first caught the eye of the international community after his film Furie became Vietnam’s highest-grossing film of all time; the film went on to become the country’s submission to the Academy Awards® for Best International Feature. He was later tapped to direct the Hulu Original film ‘The Princess,’ starring Joey King and Dominic Cooper.
‘The Ancestral’ is also written by Kiet with contributions from Vo Nguyen Dan. The film stars Lâm Thanh Mỹ (Hollow), Quang Tuấn (Glorious Ashes) & Mai Cát Vi (The Third Wife). The film was produced by Kiet, Nguyen Le Lan Anh and Dan Trong Tran, with Tran also acting as Executive Producer.
“There’s a tremendous demand in the U.S. for Asian horror content. With a rich tradition of innovation and creativity, directors have never shied away from pushing the genre forward,” said Brad Miska, Managing Director of Bloody Disgusting. “Horror films that take place in the home, like The Ancestral, are a different level of unsettling, and I’m thrilled to share this terrifying film with our SCREAMBOX viewers.”
The deal was negotiated by Brandon Hill, Director of Acquisitions, on behalf of Cinedigm and WME Independent on behalf of the licensor Blue Lantern LLC.
