“It’s alive!” — as the mad scientists would say. Grace Glowicki‘s grotesque, 16mm-shot romance “Dead Lover” has been acquired for North American distribution by Cartuna and Dweck Productions, operating under a new venture Cartuna x Dweck. The deal comes after the film’s selection at SXSW, following a premiere at Sundance in January.
“We firmly believe that we are at the early stages of a historic creative movement,” says James Belfer, founder and CEO of Cartuna. “Inventive, boundary-pushing storytellers need more distribution support now than ever. This collective of producers has opted to take matters into our own hands and it’s our sincere hope that it will inspire others to do the same.”
“What Grace and her collaborators have dug up from their creative depths is like nothing I’ve ever seen before and we are so honored to be a part of this infinitely imaginative team,” said Hannah Dweck, owner and co-founder of Dweck Productions. “We can’t wait to set this exuberantly unrestrained, disgusting, beautiful, smelly, exhumed corpse of a rom-com loose on the world!”
The acquisition is the latest development in Cartuna’s film distribution venture, which put out the Blu-ray release of the word-of-mouth slapstick comedy “Hundreds of Beavers” last year and has sold more than 10,000 copies since. “Dead Lover” is the first all-right acquisitions for the company, and the inaugural under its newly formed partnership with Dweck Productions. Kurt Ravenwood, a partner of SRH agency and producer on “Hundreds of Beavers,” will provide marketing strategy on “Dead Lover.”
Grace Glowicki wrote, directed and stars in “Dead Lover,” a prosthetics-centric horror-comedy about a stinky, lonesome gravedigger who reanimates her squeeze using his detached finger. Ben Petrie is a co-writer and co-star. The film made its premiere in the Midnight section at Sundance, with later selections at SXSW, International Film Festival Rotterdam and Göteborg Film Festival. Forthcoming screenings are set for the Overlook Film Festival and the Los Angeles Festival of Movies.
“We feel touched by kismet to be working with Cartuna X Dweck!” Glowicki said in a statement. “Individually, both companies are stalwart champions of independent voices in cinema, and we’re in love with their vision for a united superfront putting out movies with a fresh, individualized approach. Ben, Yona and I are thrilled to be putting our brains together with them on rolling out Dead Lover!“
The deal was negotiated by Hugues Barbier, Justin Timms, and Joe Yanick of Yellow Veil Pictures on behalf of the filmmakers and James Belfer on behalf of Cartuna x Dweck.
