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Dark Sky Films has acquired the distribution rights for North America Lolathe sci-fi drama from writer/director Andrew Legge and starring Stefanie Martini (Prime suspect 73, The Last Kingdom) and Emma Appelton (The witcher, pistol). The movie will be released in August.
Giles Edwards, Head of Development and Acquisition at Dark Sky Films, is currently on site in Cannes negotiating the distribution deal with Yana Georgieva, Head of Sales at Bankside Films.
Lola is set in 1940s England, where enterprising sisters Thomasina “Thom” Hanbury (Appleton) and Martha “Mars” Hanbury (Martine) built a machine, Lola, which can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. The device gives them an exciting taste of the world to come, including music from the likes of David Bowie and the Kinks. But as World War II escalates, the sisters decide to use the machine as a weapon of intelligence, with world-changing consequences.
Debuting feature film director Legge, who co-wrote the screenplay with Angeli Macfarlane, uses a documentary-style approach to tell his story, which focuses on footage discovered in old film reels in an abandoned house – footage that allegedly reveals the work of the eccentric sisters . A lot of Lola was shot on period cameras, the footage was then processed at home in a vintage 16mm developing tank to give the film an authentically aged feel. The actresses were even trained in using the cameras for certain crucial scenes.
Lola features original songs and music by Neil Hannon (the forthcoming Wonka) of The Divine Comedy. The film is produced by Alan Maher and John Wallace of Cowtown Pictures (Rialto) and co-produced by Alice Lusher and Catryn Ramasut of ie ie productions (Queerama), with funding from Screen Ireland, Head Gear Films, Ffilm Cymru Wales and Roads Entertainment. Executive producers are Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Stephen Kelliher, Sophie Green, Dearbhla Regan, Bizzy Day, Andrew Legge and Danielle Ryan.
“Lola is an impressive achievement, a film that transcends sci-fi and the found footage genre to tell a powerful and compelling story,” said Edwards of Dark Sky. “We are excited to bring Andrew Legge’s amazing debut to a wide audience.”
Dark Sky Films, home of horror classics like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The House of the Devil And Emilyhas recently had success with 1BR, third floor girl And Coming home in the dark. The upcoming release Mother, may I?starring Kyle Gallner (Smile, dinner in America) and Holland Roen (teen wolf)is currently being sold at the Marché du Film in Cannes.