IFC Midnight has acquired North American rights to “Barbarians,” a home invasion thriller with “Game of Thrones” star Iwan Rheon and “Maria Full of Grace” Oscar-nominee Catalina Sandino Moreno. The movie also marks the directorial debut of Charles Dorfman, the producer of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter.” Tom Cullen (“Downton Abbey”) and Inès Spiridonov (“Section Zero”) round out the cast.
The film premiered at the 2021 Fantastic Film Festival, and IFC Midnight will release the film in theaters and on demand on April 1, 2022.
Set over the course of twenty-four hours, “Barbarians” sees couple Adam (Rheon) and Eva (Moreno) wake up in their supposed dream house on Adam’s birthday. Lucas (Cullen), property developer and friend of the couple, arrives for dinner with his actress girlfriend Chloe (Spiridonov), to celebrate Adam’s birthday and the couple’s buying of the house. But secrets unravel over dinner, and when the doorbell rings the evening takes a nightmarish turn. As manners give way to madness, an ‘idyllic’ evening of celebration descends into a dark night of terror; and the group’s civilized dinner party turns out to be anything but.
Dorfman penned the script and produced the film in addition to directing the picture. Other producers include Jason Newmark and Laurie Cook on behalf of Samuel Marshall Films, with David Gilbery and Marlon Vogelgesgang serving as executive producers.
“’Barbarians’ is a brilliant character study with havoc-wreaking performances and an innovative take on the home-invasion thriller that continually serves to surprise,” Arianna Bocco, president of IFC Films, said. “We’re thrilled to partner with Charles Dorfman on his directorial debut and his sharply written script that will remind audiences of the barbaric spirit within us all.”
“IFC Films has a strong reputation for partnering with fantastic filmmakers, so I am thrilled to partner with them for the US release of ‘Barbarians,’” Dorfman said. “I couldn’t be more delighted that the film has found a home with their team.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by IFC Films Manager of Acquisitions & Productions Adam Koehler with WME Independent representing the filmmakers.