New Zealand-based sales outfit Black Mandala is bringing a sinister lineup of six genre titles to Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM), ranging from occult horror to creature features.
Leading the pack is “1978,” a twisted tale of torturers who get more than they bargained for when their victims turn out to be members of a dark cult. The period thriller, set against the backdrop of the World Cup soccer final, promises to transform a secret prison into a literal hell on earth.
The company’s horror-heavy slate includes “Play Dead,” starring Paula Brasca in a claustrophobic nightmare where she must lie motionless among corpses while mysterious rituals unfold above her. In a different kind of psychological tension, erotic thriller “Traumnovelle” – the English-language adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s 1926 novella that previously inspired Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut” – follows a high-society couple’s dangerous descent into an elite underground world of masked debauchery where forbidden desires come with deadly consequences.
Supernatural horror “Containment” puts a fresh spin on possession tropes, featuring a nun who discovers something far worse than demons while trying to save a young girl’s soul. For slasher fans, “Fear Cabin” serves up classic genre thrills when six friends’ weekend getaway turns into a desperate fight for survival against an unseen presence.
Rounding out the offerings is “Lake Jesup,” where redemption meets reptilian terror as an ex-con faces off against a monstrous escaped alligator nicknamed Bonecrusher in the deadly waters of Florida.
“Berlin’s EFM is one of the most crucial markets of the year,” says Black Mandala’s Michael Kraetzer. “As a sales agent and production company, we look forward to forging new partnerships, securing strong deals, and finding the perfect homes for our films. This year, we are especially excited to exclusively present an outstanding lineup of high-quality films, reinforcing our commitment to bringing bold and innovative genre cinema to the global stage.”
The European Film Market runs alongside the Berlin Film Festival.