IFC Midnight has announced that they have acquired the North American rights to A Banquet. Which is the feature debut from Ruth Paxton, whose award-winning short films have been exhibited and nominated in competition at numerous prominent film festivals worldwide. A Banquet is said to be “a visually arresting, slow-burning psychological horror that uses subtle supernatural elements to create tension within a family in the midst of a breakdown, exploiting the complicated bond between three generations of mothers and daughters.”
The film stars Sienna Guillory (Resident Evil film series, High Rise), British rising stars Jessica Alexander (Get Even) and Ruby Stokes (Rocks, Una), and award-winning actress Lindsay Duncan CBE (Made in Italy, Private Lives). A Banquet will open in select theaters, on digital platforms and VOD on February 18th.
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Widowed mother Holly (Guillory) is radically tested when her teenage daughter Betsey (Alexander) experiences a profound enlightenment and insists that her body is no longer her own, but in service to a higher power. Bound to her newfound faith, Betsey refuses to eat but loses no weight. In an agonizing dilemma, torn between love and fear, Holly is forced to confront the boundaries of her own beliefs.
Arianna Bocco, President of IFC Films said, “We’ve had an outstanding year breaking out new voices in the horror genre, and we’ve never been more primed to bring Ruth Paxton and her brilliant and provocative feature debut to audiences across the country.”
Director Ruth Paxton added, “I’m thrilled to be partnering with such an established champion of independent cinema in IFC Films. It is daunting to be introducing my first feature with them considering they’ve previously supported many of my cinematic heroes; from Von Trier and Audiard to McQueen, Kent and Kurzel, but I’m incredibly excited and I can’t wait to launch A Banquet with them!”
You can check out the new trailer for A Banquet below and the film will head to theaters, VOD and digital platforms February 18, 2022. Be sure to stay tuned to ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi and more.
