Some bright news for an SXSW title. “Relic,” which was slated to screen at the now-cancelled fest, has found a home. IFC Midnight snagged North American rights to Natalie Erika James’ thriller. Deadline broke the news.

Penned by James and Christian White, “Relic” explores the aftermath of an elderly and widowed matriarch’s (Robyn Nevin, “Top of the Lake”) disappearance. Her daughter Kay (Emily Mortimer, “Mary Poppins Returns”) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote, “The Man in the High Castle”) “travel to their remote family home to find her. Soon after her return, they start to discover a sinister presence haunting the house and taking control of Edna,” the source hints.

“It’s a story about the heartbreak and tragedy of aging and Alzheimer’s and the shifting dynamics between parent and child as people age,” James told us. She said that her feature directorial debut came from a “personal place” — it was inspired by her own grandmother and her battle with Alzheimer’s.

James explained, “I think having to confront your parents’ mortality – and your own by extension – is such a scary but universal concept. There’s a specific tortuous quality to Alzheimer’s and watching someone decline in its clutches. If there’s one person in the audience who watches the film and it resonates with them on a level that helps them process a feeling or an experience with the disease, or see their loved ones in a new light, I’ll feel like I’ve achieved what I set out to do,” she emphasized.

Slated for release by IFC Midnight this fall, “Relic” made its world premiere at Sundance.

Arianna Bocco, EVP Acquisitions and Productions at IFC Films, said “’Relic’ could not be a better fit for IFC Midnight. We are thrilled to be working with Natalie on her directorial debut as well as the fantastic cast and production team behind the film.”

James’ previous credits include shorts “Drum Wave” and “Creswick.”