An extremely prescient thriller written and directed by women has secured North American distribution. According to Deadline, Dark Sky Films nabbed the rights to “Before the Fire,” a pandemic story which will be shopped to worldwide buyers at Cannes’ virtual market next month.
“Before the Fire” marks Charlie Buhler’s (“Aegis”) feature directorial debut. Written by and starring “Kominsky Method” actress Jenna Lyng Adams, the pic tells the story of a Hollywood actress “whose rising career is cut short when a pandemic influenza sends her back to the small town she fled years before, only to find something more dangerous than any virus waiting for her,” the source teases. “Instead of shelter, her South Dakota hometown brings her face to face with unforeseen peril.”
The film is produced by Kristen Murtha (“Band Aid”) and premiered at Cinequest Film Festival in March.
“We fought to make this movie because we felt that there was a very specific expectation about the types of stories women were able to tell,” Buhler said. “Jenna and I both love action and sci-fi, so we wanted to make a female protagonist that we women could really rally behind.”
Adams added, “Audiences are thirsty for unconventional, layered, and imperfect women on-screen. Dark Sky Films has been known to support female driven films and we are happy to have found the right partnership for this movie.”
Cannes will not be hosting a physical festival this year, due to the COVID-19 crisis. However, the fest will be announcing its 2020 selections next week, and plans to screen those titles at other festivals around the world. A digital version of Cannes’ market, the Marché du Film, will take place June 22-26.
“Before the Fire” will be released in the U.S. sometime in mid-summer. Check out the trailer below.
