New slate of international films to launch in Cannes for world sales
XYZ Films has added the Tribeca Film Festival Official Selection THE SEEDING to its New Visions slate of films, with sales launching this spring at Cannes. New Visions is a recently launched initiative designed to spotlight the boldest new voices alongside established talent striking a new path in the international space. XYZ Films is also onboard as executive producers and co-financiers of the horror film, with investment funding coming from IPR.VC. XYZ will be screening the film for buyers in Cannes ahead of the film’s Tribeca premiere.
Directed and written by Barnaby Clay and produced by Brian Etting, THE SEEDING stars Kate Lyn Sheil and Scott Haze and will make its World Premiere at Tribeca this June. In the film, a man finds himself trapped in a desert canyon with a woman living off-grid who is captive to a pack of sadistic boys.
Recently announced sales executive Manon Barat will work alongside long time Head of International Acquisitions Todd Brown to oversee the new slate of global sales titles. True to the origins of XYZ, the New Visions initiative will be a highly curated collection of films. The slate exists to discover and support the next generation of great filmmakers at the inception of their career, and to give established talents room to do something smaller, more intimate, or challenging outside of the usual box of independent filmmaking.
XYZ will launch the new slate in Cannes with Directors’ Fortnight selection IN FLAMES, a Pakistani-Canadian horror film directed by Zarrar Kahn and executive produced by Shant Joshi.
Additional titles in the initial New Visions slate include Czech science fiction title RESTORE POINT, directed by Robert Hloz and produced by Jan Kallista, which will have footage screened at the Marché du Film as part of the Fantastic 7 lineup and Paul Duane’s upcoming Irish folk horror ALL YOU NEED IS DEATH.
“We’re excited to be working with XYZ Films on this. As fans of genre cinema, we have long admired the films they’ve brought to life and their commitment to divergent filmmakers to help fulfill their artistic vision. After all, these guys made MANDY happen and the world is a better place for it.,” said Barnaby Clay.
“When Barnaby called us about this project a few years ago we had an instinct that he was onto something special. He’s exactly the kind of bold, breakout filmmaking talent we are constantly on the lookout for and we are thrilled that this will be a part of our New Visions initiative heading into Cannes and Tribeca,” said Nate Bolotin, Partner, XYZ Films.
XYZ’s classic titles include THE RAID franchise, 2017 Sundance winner I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, Panos Cosmatos’ psychedelic revenge thriller MANDY, and Karyn Kusama’s THE INVITATION. XYZ’s current projects include Berlin competition title BLACKBERRY from director Matt Johnson which stars Glenn Howerton and Jay Baruchel, ASH starring Eiza González and Aaron Paul and to be directed by Flying Lotus, SEVEN VEILS starring Amanda Seyfried and directed by Atom Egoyan, Sundance selection RUN RABBIT RUN directed by Dana Reid and starring Sarah Snook, DANIELA FOREVER to be directed by Nacho Vigalondo and starring Henry Golding. The XYZ slate also includes Nick Cassavetes’ GOD IS A BULLET starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe and Jamie Foxx, NOCEBO directed by Lorcan Finnegan with Eva Green and Mark Strong, and ACCUSED from BAFTA-nominated BOILING POINT director Phillip Barantini. XYZ is in post-production on the Netflix Original HAVOC, directed by Gareth Evans and starring Tom Hardy and Forest Whitaker.
About XYZ Films:
XYZ Films is an independent studio whose mission is to empower visionary storytellers from every corner of the planet. As a producer, financier, and distributor, the company is uniquely suited to identify talented filmmakers and bring their stories to life. XYZ recently expanded into talent management, working with a global roster of filmmakers. XYZ was founded in 2008 by Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, and Aram Tertzakian. The company’s classic titles include THE RAID franchise, 2017 Sundance winner I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE, Panos Cosmatos’ psychedelic revenge thriller MANDY, and Karyn Kusama’s THE INVITATION.
