U.K.-based sales and distribution company Blue Finch Films has picked up worldwide sales rights to “Unholy Night,” a holiday horror feature marking the directorial debut of Michael Gabriele.
The film recently completed production in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and Blue Finch will launch sales at Berlin’s European Film Market.
The festive horror centers on Gino, whose traditional Italian family Christmas Eve celebration descends into chaos when his deceased grandmother returns from the dead and embarks on a killing spree. As more dead relatives begin appearing throughout the neighborhood, Gino must find a way to eliminate the holiday revenants and make it through the family gathering alive.
Gabriele, whose award-winning short films include “Get Away,” wrote the screenplay and produced the project with Jenna MacMillan of Club Red Productions (“The Snake,” “Who’s Yer Father?”) and Jason Levangie and Marc Tetreault of Shut Up & Colour Pictures (“Sharp Corner,” “Kids vs Aliens”). Executive producers are Tina Carbone, Jef Burnham, Mike Chapman and Fatima Hayward.
The cast is led by Marc Bendavid (“Dark Matter,” “Reacher”) and Shailene Garnett (“Fire Country,” “Diggstown”), with supporting performances from Al Sapienza (“The Sopranos,” “House of Cards”), Ron Lea (“The Recruit,” “Orphan Black”), Ton Ellwand (“Mafia Inc.”), Cristina Rosato (“Mother!,” “Assassin’s Creed”), Jaqueline Robbins (“The Monkey”) and Joe Pingue (“Station Eleven,” “Star Trek: Section 31”).
“We all know holiday family gatherings can feel like a survival horror, but Unholy Night takes that relatable tension to an extreme,” Gabriele said. “Growing up in my Italian family, Christmas Eve was always a huge event that was loud and full of love, but also incredibly intense. I wanted to take those real pressures we all feel with family and combine them into a visceral, festive nightmare. Audiences can expect a violent ride that is hilarious, heartfelt, and frightening – as it explores the burden of family traditions and overcoming regret – amidst total chaos.”
Mike Chapman of Blue Finch Films added: “‘Unholy Night’ is an impressive debut from Michael, taking the idea of unwanted family guests for Christmas to a whole new level. Mixing bold horror, dark humour, and heart, he has created a seasonal slam dunk.”
Blue Finch’s current international slate includes Rotterdam-selected horror “Bowels Of Hell,” SXSW-selected sci-fi thriller “Imposters” and “Dolly,” which premiered at Fantastic Fest and will be released by IFC and Shudder this year.
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