Film News Roundup: Kazakhstan Warrior Queen Movie ‘Tomiris’ Acquired for U.S.
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In today’s film news roundup, Kazakh action-adventure movie “Tomiris” and Scottish music film “Beats” find U.S. homes and the Lulu Wilson thriller “Becky” opens at more than 40 drive-ins.
ACQUISITION
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Arclight Films has sold Well Go USA the U.S. distribution rights to the historical action-adventure “Tomiris,” centered on Queen Tomiris during the 6th Century B.C.
The film, a co-production between Kazakhfilm Studios and Sataifilm, centers on Tomaris uniting divided nomadic tribes to create a powerful nation capable of repelling Persia. According to historical accounts, Tomiris and her army defeated Cyrus the Great in 530 B.C.
Almira Tursyn stars as Tomiris along with Adil Akhmetov and Aizhan Lighg, and they all perform their own stunts. Akan Sataytev directed the film, which was theatrically released in Kazakhstan in October and became one of the highest-grossing films in the country’s history.
“We are grateful to live in a world where there is a strong appetite for real-life stories of powerful women, stories that deserve to be told,” said Arclight Films chairman Gary Hamilton. “’Tomiris’ tells one such story, and coupled with its exquisite landscapes and exceptional production values, it is an epic film that will enthrall audiences.
RELEASE SET
Music Box Films has set a June 26 opening for the U.S. release of the Scottish music film “Beats” in select theaters and virtual engagements.
“Beats” is set against the backdrop of the 1994 Criminal Justice Act in Scotland — which effectively banned outdoor raves — as two teenage friends seek an illegal rave to welcome their adulthood. Directed by Brian Welsh, the black and white coming-of-age film features a soundtrack including songs by The Prodigy, Orbital, Leftfield and LFO.
Christian Ortega and Lorn Macdonald star in the film. “Beats” premiered at the 2019 Rotterdam International Film Festival and screened at 2019 Slamdance and went on to receive accolades at the 2019 British Independent Film Awards.
‘BECKY’ RELEASE
More than 40 U.S. drive-in movie theaters are opening the thriller “Becky” on Friday as the nation’s movie exhibition business comes back to life.
Lulu Wilson stars as a 13-year-old rebel who is brought to a weekend getaway at a lake house by her father, played by Joel McHale, in an effort to try to reconnect. The trip immediately takes a turn for the worse when they encounter group of convicts on the run, led by a merciless man portrayed by Kevin James.
Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion directed from a script by Nick Morris, Ruckus Skye and Lane Skye. Wilson’s credits include “Annabelle: Creation” and “Ouija: Origin of Evil” as well as Netflix’s “The Haunting of Hill House” and HBO’s “Sharp Objects.”
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