Vertical has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the English-language, post-apocalyptic thriller “Sanctuary,” starring Nina Kiri of “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
The film is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth where the discovery of a cryogenically suspended woman sparks fear within a village. This leads a young warrior and the woman on a quest for a lost city and answers that could restore humanity. Directed by Filip Kovačević (“Incarnation”), “Sanctuary” features Jonas Smulders and Darko Perić alongside Kiri.
The film is a production of Void Pictures and TS Media, the production arm of Telekom Srbija. According to Kovačević, “Sanctuary” is an attempt to give “a fresh take on dystopian sci-fi, with an original story that takes place in a distinct ‘semi-far future.’” He explained that the timeframe is “near enough so the events that led to the collapse of civilization are still relevant, but far enough that they have been shrouded in mystery and myth,” with the intent to create “an entertaining genre film that explores the cyclical nature of history and the individual’s role inside it.”
Đorđe Stanković, of Void Pictures, stated that the filmmakers “set out to make an ambitious science-fiction film from Serbia that could speak to an international audience without losing its own identity.” He added that producing the film proved that “genre cinema of this scale can come from this part of Europe.” Vukota Antunović of Void Pictures noted that the film was driven by “a shared belief in the story and the world we were building,” and that the international and domestic cast and Serbian crew allowed them to create something “both rooted here and genuinely global.”
TS Media stated that “Sanctuary” “represents a notable shift in scale and ambition for Serbian production,” and is part of a larger strategy “to move Serbian scripted production further into the international marketplace, not only as a filming destination but as a source of original IP, creative talent and globally marketable projects.” World sales are being handled by Sublimity, which has secured several other international deals.
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