By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Having successfully played THE WRETCHED, RELIC and THE RENTAL on the drive-in circuit during the pandemic, IFC Midnight has added this psychological thriller to its lineup.
The distrib has announced its acquisition of North American rights to KINDRED, which will be released November 6. Joe Marcantonio directed from a script he wrote with Jason McColgan, and the cast is headed by Tamara Lawrance, Jack Lowden, Fiona Shaw and Edward Holcroft. The synopsis: “When her boyfriend Ben suddenly dies in an accident, mother-to-be Charlotte collapses upon receiving the news. She wakes up in Ben’s family home, a crumbling old manor house in the middle of nowhere with Ben’s overbearing mother, Margaret, and his controlling stepbrother, Thomas. They are determined to care for her, at least until the baby arrives. Grief-stricken and increasingly haunted by visions possibly brought on by the pregnancy, Charlotte accepts their help. But as the days go by, she begins to doubt their intentions and her suspicions grow. Are they drugging her and keeping her captive, with the aim of taking her unborn baby? As her visions intensify and the haze of lies grows, Charlotte decides that her only option is to break free from this family once and for all–but at what cost?”
“I’m really delighted to be working with IFC Films,” Marcantonio says. “To be on a slate alongside films by Sean Durkin [THE NEST] and Michael Winterbottom [THE TRIP TO GREECE] is a dream come true for me. It’s fantastic to have joined forces with a team who are so enthusiastic about KINDRED, and I can’t wait to get the film in front of audiences later this year.” Adds IFC’s Arianna Bocco, “KINDRED is a discovery with strong performances and an expertly crafted atmosphere–the perfect addition to the IFC Midnight family. We’re excited to bring this wickedly smart film to audiences across the country.”
