IFC Midnight has picked up U.S. rights to “Disappearance at Clifton Hill,” Variety has learned.
The Canadian neo-noir premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it went by the title “Clifton Hill.” It follows Abby (Tuppence Middleton), a young woman who returns to her hometown of Niagara Falls after her mother dies, only become obsessed with a fragmented memory of an abduction she believes she was witness to as a child. As she begins to dig deeper into the possible kidnapping, she also reunites with her estranged younger sister, Laure (Hannah Gross), and they attempt to settle their mother’s estate and sell the family motel. But Abby’s fixation on the past leads her down a rabbit hole of conspiracy that threatens to overwhelm everything. IFC Midnight will release the film on Feb. 28, 2020.
Albert Shin (“In Her Place”) directed the picture. Along with Middleton (“Downton Abbey”) and Gross (“Mindhunter”), it also has the novelty of an acting appearance by legendary director David Cronenberg (“A History of Violence”). Eric Johnson and Marie-Josée Croze round out the cast. The film was produced by Kevin Krikst and Fraser Ash of Rhombus Media, and executive produced by Rhombus’ Niv Fichman, with Adrian Love and Omar Chalabi of Elevation Pictures.
“This is exactly the kind of suspenseful drama with a compelling atmosphere that audiences will be drawn to,” said Arianna Bocco executive VP of Acquisitions and Productions of IFC Films, in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be working with such a talented and committed team of filmmakers to bring this film to the U.S.”
“Niagara Falls is a weird and wonderful place and I’m incredibly excited to partner with IFC Midnight, which has always been a home for weird and wonderful films,” Shin said.
Elevation Pictures will distribute the film in Canada. The deal was negotiated by Bocco and Aijah Keith of IFC Films with WTFilms representing the filmmakers.