Neon Buys Horror Movie ‘Enys Men’ Ahead of Cannes Premiere

Neon has purchased North American distribution rights to Mark Jenkin’s “Enys Men,” ahead of the horror film’s premiere in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival.

The film, which sounds very shades of “The Wicker Man,” stars Mary Woodvine and Edward Rowe. Jenkin wore a lot of hats on this one. He wrote and directed the picture, as well as served as its cinematographer, sound designer, and composer. Presumably, manning the catering truck was left to someone else. “Enys Men” was shot on 16mm color negative using a 1970’s clockwork Bolex camera and post sync sound, in order to convey, the press release says, “…the feeling of discovering a reel of never before seen celluloid unspooling in a desolate, haunted movie palace.”

“Enys Men” is set in 1973 on an uninhabited island off the British coast. There, a wildlife volunteer descends into a metaphysical journey that challenges her grip on reality and pushes her into a living nightmare.

The film is produced by Denzil Monk for Bosena. Johnny Fewings serves as executive producer. Film4 co-financed the film, with Ben Coren and Lauren Dark serving as executive producers, and Kingsley Marshall for Sound/Image Cinema Lab.

Jenkin received two BAFTA nominations and one win for ‘Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer’ for his previous effort, “Bait.”

Neon’s Sarah Colvin negotiated the North America deal with Protagonist Pictures’ George Hamilton who are also representing the worldwide sales rights.

Neon has a busy Cannes. It will premiere David Cronenberg’s “Crimes of The Future” starring Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, and Viggo Mortensen and Brett Morgen’s look at the career of David Bowie, “Moonage Daydream.”

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