Germany’s 8-Film has picked the U.S. and German rights to the sequel of Chilean Patricio Valladares’ genre film “Hidden in the Woods.” The company has also boarded the low-budget survival thriller as a co-producer and distributor.
Valladares, who premiered his short “Snowdevil” at the Santiago Int’l Film Festival (Sanfic) in August this year and bowed his film “Downhill” at 2016 Sanfic, will direct the sequel based on his own screenplay.
The news comes just as Sanfic Industria, taking place from Oct.27 to Nov. 5, has signaled its further commitment to supporting genre projects through its joint initiative with Mexican horror conglomerate Grupo Morbido that will include screenings and mentoring sessions at this year’s Sanfic-Morbido Lab with Morbido founder and CEO, Pablo Guisa.
The sequel will serve as a direct follow-up to the original Chilean version, and is set 10 years after the horrific events depicted in Valladares’ warped fable. It will be shot in Spanish on location in Chile early next year.
The original follows two sisters who live in isolation in the Chilean countryside with a brother who was born with a physical deformity. They are subjected to the cruel and perverse whims of their father. After a clash with the police leaves a wake of death and mutilation, they flee and find refuge in a remote cabin. Meanwhile, a drug lord, convinced they have stolen the large stash of drugs their father had been hiding, sends a vicious gang of thugs to find them.
“The original ‘Hidden in the Woods’ immediately captivated me and I was very impressed by the intensity, the uncompromising nature and the severity of the movie,” said 8-Films CEO, Steve Aquilina, a cinematographer, editor and producer whose credits include the “Violent Shit” franchise and a string of many other genre pics. “I couldn’t believe that a young director had made such a strong film and am very proud to be a part of the sequel,” he added.
Concurred Valladares: “I’m so thrilled to partner with 8-Films, because I have known Steve since we first met at Frightfest back in 2012. He and his team are true horror fans, and I’ve been a fan of his work since my teenage years.”
“He’s a big fan of the original film, which is hugely important to me. I can’t wait to share this new horrifying chapter in the ‘Hidden in the Woods’ saga with fans old and new all across the world,” he continued.
The film is co-produced by 8-Films (Germany), Reel Gore Releasing (U.S.) and Vallastudio Films (Chile). Aquilina, Vittorio Farfan and Valladares serve as producers of the sequel.
“Hidden in the Woods” premiered at Fantasia in 2012 and spawned a U.S. remake in 2014 with Michael Biehn and William Forsythe starring that had its world premiere at the Sitges Film Festival in Spain. Sony Pictures released the remake on DVD and VOD in the U.S. while Netflix Asia streamed it.
The sequel’s release is targeted for the second half of 2022.
Valladares is repped by Tammy Hunt and CSP Management in Los Angeles.