The Orchard Travels “Southbound,” Picking Up The Latest Film From The Creators of The “V/H/S” Franchise
Oct 08, 2015
LOS ANGELES, CA — October 7, 2015 — The Orchard announced today that the company is acquiring North American distribution rights to Southbound, the brainchild of the creators of the V/H/S horror series. The distributor plans to release the film in the first half of 2016. Southbound had its world premiere in the Midnight Madness section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival and most recently screened at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX.
“For those of you uninspired ramblers who have been searching for a horror anthology that truly revs your engines,” wrote Matt Donato of We Got This Covered, “Southbound is an inviting attraction along a road lined with many generic places to stop.”
Indeed, Southbound is no ordinary film. It features a unique narrative structure: five haunting tales tied together only by the fact that they all appear to take place in the same general universe. On a desolate stretch of desert highway, weary travelers—two men on the run from their past, a band on their way to the next gig, a man struggling to get home, a brother in search of his long-lost sister and a family on vacation—are forced to confront their worst fears and darkest secrets in these interwoven tales of terror and remorse on the open road.
Producer Brad Miska says, “After seeing such success with V/H/S, we look forward to a repeat performance with Southbound. Working with this group of dedicated and talented directors has proven to be a terrific experience and we are happy that The Orchard will be bringing our film to U.S. Audiences.”
“When we saw Southbound, we knew we were looking into the eyes of a much different animal,” said Paul Davidson, SVP of Film & TV at The Orchard. “Southbound is a slick and stylish film that will have audiences engrossed from the moment the engines kick into gear and we can’t wait to invite audiences to take that journey.”
The Orchard has been making waves in the independent film scene this year, acquiring and releasing a wide range of high-profile titles including, but not limited to, Patrick Brice’s The Overnight starring Taylor Schilling, Adam Scott and Jason Schwartzman; Joe Swanberg-directed Digging for Fire starring Jake Johnson, Brie Larson and Anna Kendrick; and Matthew Heineman’s 2015 Sundance award winning documentary Cartel Land.
The majority of the Southbound team will be familiar to audiences as the creative forces behind the original V/H/S: Producers Brad Miska and Roxanne Benjamin and directors David Bruckner (The Signal, forthcoming Friday the 13th for Paramount) and Radio Silence (Devil’s Due for Fox, forthcoming Untitled Blumhouse project), as well as V/H/S/2 director Jason Eisener serving as Editor for the section “Siren.” Their V/H/S segments were the most highly regarded of the series for their sense of irreverence and fun within the horror genre. They are joined in the director’s seat this time by Patrick Horvath, who followed up his well-regarded debut indie horror film Entrance (IFC) with The Pact 2 (IFC), and producer Roxanne Benjamin (V/H/S 1 & 2, Faults, The Devil’s Candy), making her directorial debut from a script co-written with Susan Burke, known for Sundance drama Smashed (Sony Pictures Classics).
The deal for the film was negotiated by Craig Sussman, Senior Director of Acquisitions at The Orchard, with CAA on behalf of the filmmakers.
About The Orchard
The Orchard is a pioneering film, TV, and music distribution company operating in more than 25 global markets. With a holistic approach to sales and marketing combined with industry-leading technology and operations, The Orchard amplifies reach and revenue across hundreds of digital, physical and mobile outlets around the world. The Orchard streamlines content owners’ business complexity with an intuitive client dashboard, comprehensive rights management and tailored client support. Founded in 1997, The Orchard empowers businesses and creators in the entertainment industry. The Orchard most recently released THE OVERNIGHT, CARTEL LAND, and DIGGING FOR FIRE in theaters. Upcoming releases include FINDERS KEEPERS, NASTY BABY, and LOUDER THAN BOMBS. For further information, please visit www.theorchard.com.