Reel Suspects takes on Toronto title 'Demon'

Paris-based genre specialist Reel Suspects had picked up world sales to Demon ahead of its premiere in the Vanguard section of the Toronto International Film Festival (Sept 10-20).

 It is the third feature by Polish director Marcin Wrona, whose previous award-winning work The Christening also screened in Vanguard to packed houses and critical acclaim in 2010.

“I’m really exited to work on Marcin’s third film film. It’s a perfect crossover title that fits our line-up perfectly,” said Reel Suspects CEO Matteo Lovadina.

“It combines a well mastered drama base with a supernatural element. Demon should find an audience both among cinephiles and curious genre fans alike,” he added.

 ICM Partners is handling North America.

Taking inspiration from the Jewish mythological figure of the dybbuk, a malicious spirit, Demon revolves around a wedding that takes a sinister turn when the groom is possessed just prior to the ceremony.

There has been considerable buzz around the title following the release of a teaser trailer earlier this month.

Demon is a Polish-Israeli co-production involving Wrona’s Warsaw-based Magnet Man Film and Tel Aviv-based Transfax Film Productions with the support of the Polish Film Institute, the Israel Film Fund, the Kracow Film Commission, Silesia Film, Chimney Poland, Wajda Studio and Lava Films.

 Israeli actor Itay Tiran plays Python, a young man who travels to his future wife’s hometown ahead of their wedding.

The future bride’s grandfather gives him a parcel of land as a wedding gift. While preparing the land to build a house, Python discovers a pile of human bones. He decides to keep his discovery to himself but then strange things start to happen.

The cast also features Agnieszka Zulewska as the bride. The upcoming Polish actress was recently seen in the lead role of Bartosz Prokopowicz’s Chemo about an exuberant young woman dying of cancer, which premiered at Karlovy Vary in July.

Other titles on Reel Suspects’ TIFF slate include cult picture German Angst, Indian horror picture Ludo, which premiered at Fantasia and Finnish comedy Lovemilla.