Cinedigm Acquires All North American Rights to the Nightmarish Horror Film 'The Ancestral' from Director Le-Van Kiet

Rhea-AI Summary

Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to the horror film The Ancestral from director Le-Van Kiet, known for The Requin. The film will premiere later in 2023 on Cinedigm's horror streaming platform, SCREAMBOX, as a SCREAMBOX Original. The Ancestral tells the unsettling story of a widower and his daughters facing sleep paralysis in a historic family home. The film was a box-office success in Vietnam, topping charts for two weekends. Cinedigm aims to capitalize on the growing demand for Asian horror content in the U.S. The acquisition was negotiated by Cinedigm's Brandon Hill and WME Independent for Blue Lantern LLC.

Positive

• Acquisition of The Ancestral expands Cinedigm's content library.
• The film's previous success in Vietnam indicates strong potential for U.S. market.
• Cinedigm aims to meet the rising demand for Asian horror content in the U.S.

Negative

• None.

LOS ANGELES, March 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

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.

SCREAMBOX features a broad mix of content for casual and die-hard horror fans alike. The service is refreshed monthly with content from the Company's extensive genre library with films and episodes delivering every type of terror imaginable -- Supernatural, Slashers, Zombies and more. SCREAMBOX currently features classic horror films like Slumber Party Massacre and the original House on Haunted Hill, the blockbuster indie horror films The Outwaters and Terrifier 2 as well as horror series such as "The Island" and "Master of Horror." SCREAMBOX recently acquired the docuseries "RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop" and the documentary film Hollywood Dreams and Nightmares: The Robert Englund Story. SCREAMBOX is available to stream on iOS, Android, Prime Video, YouTube TV, Comcast, Cox and screambox.com.

ABOUT CINEDIGM
For more than 20 years, Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) has led the digital transformation of the entertainment industry. Today, Cinedigm entertains consumers around the globe by providing premium feature film and television series, enthusiast streaming channels and technology services to the world's largest media, retail and technology companies. As a leader in the rapidly evolving streaming ecosystem, Cinedigm continues its legacy as an innovator through its adoption of next-generation technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, through its proprietary, highly-scalable Matchpoint™ technology platform. For more information, visit cinedigm.com. 

ABOUT SCREAMBOX 
Stream. Scream. Repeat. Powered by Bloody Disgusting, SCREAMBOX delivers every type of terror imaginable -- Supernatural, Slashers, Classics, Zombies, Extreme, Psychological, Cult, Underground, Banned Movies and more. Discover horror you won't find anywhere else and visit www.screambox.com for more information. SCREAMBOX is available to stream on iOS, Android, Prime Video, YouTube TV, Comcast and screambox.com. 

PRESS CONTACT FOR CIDM:
The Lippin Group for Cinedigm
cinedigm@lippingroup.com

Julie Milstead
investorrelations@cinedigm.com

 

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SOURCE Cinedigm Corp.

FAQ

What film has Cinedigm acquired the rights to?

Cinedigm has acquired the North American rights to the horror film The Ancestral.

When will <i>The Ancestral</i> be released on SCREAMBOX?

The Ancestral is expected to be released later in 2023 on SCREAMBOX.

Who directed <i>The Ancestral</i>?

The film The Ancestral was directed by Le-Van Kiet.

What is SCREAMBOX?

SCREAMBOX is Cinedigm's horror streaming platform featuring a variety of horror content.

What was the performance of <i>The Ancestral</i> in Vietnam?

The film held the top spot at the box office in Vietnam for two consecutive weekends.