XYZ Films has announced today that they have picked up world sales rights (excluding Benelux) to the Dutch crime thriller WOLF, which was written and directed by filmmaker Jim Taihuttu. The film, which will enjoy its festival premiere in the New Directors section of the upcoming San Sebastian International Film Festival, stars Marwan Kenzari (RABAT, LOFT), Nasrdin Dchar (RABAT, TIRZA) Raymond Thiry (LANGER LICHT, OORLOGSWINTER), and Slimane Dazi (A Prophet, Hold Back). It was produced by Julius Ponten of Habbekrats for Production Partners NTR, Nederlands Filmfonds, Mediafonds, CoBO-Fonds, Fei Productions and TopNotch. XYZ Films will be selling rights to the film at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.
WOLF tells the gripping story of Majid, a young man who decides to capitalize on his mixed martial arts skills shortly after being released from prison. As his fighting prowess allows him a legitimate path to get his life back on track, it also brings him increasing notoriety inside and outside the ring. The worlds of kickboxing and organized crime quickly begin to blur as Majid is pulled into a savage, violent and
Lawless underworld.
Founded in 2004, Habbekrats is a creative film company based in Amsterdam. WOLF is the second feature film the company has produced after Jim Taihuttu's directorial debut RABAT, which he co-directed with Habbekrats co-founder Victor Ponten.
"We are absolutely thrilled to be representing WOLF," says XYZ co-founder Aram Tertzakian. "It's a visually stunning, emotionally charged, and deeply human crime thriller with powerful performances all around. Jim Taihuttu is an enormous talent, and we expect Wolf to be the first of many collaborations with Jim and Habbekrats."
"It's an honor to work with a company that has as such a clear vision of the global market," says Habbekrats Producer Julius Ponten "From the first moment we spoke to XYZ about Wolf, it was clear that we were like-minded not only about this film, but also about the future of the film business."
Recently, XYZ executive produced the hit action film
The Raid: Redemption which was released by Sony Pictures Classics last year.
XYZ Films and PT Merantau Films are currently in production on the highly anticipated THE RAID 2, which reunites writer/director Gareth Huw Evans with actor Iko Uwais, who will be reprising his starring role. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) acquired THE RAID 2 in several territories, and Sony Pictures Classics will once again release the film theatrically in the United States.
XYZ Films and Merantau are in post-production on KILLERS, which is co-directed by Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel, with Gareth Huw Evans and Rangga Maya Barack-Evans executive producing. Evans and Tjahjanto recently collaborated on SAFE HAVEN, a celebrated segment in the horror anthology film V/H/S/2, which just premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival.
XYZ Films is also acting as executive producers on the upcoming supernatural thriller, OUT OF THE DARK. Participant Media is financing the film, which is a co-production between Colombia's Dynamo and Spain's Apaches. The company recently premiered their co-productions FRANKENSTEIN ARMY at Rotterdam and Tribeca, and
The Rambler at Sundance.
About XYZ Films:
XYZ FILMS is an LA-based film production and sales company founded in 2008 by Bolotin, Spicer and Tertzakian, with partner Todd Brown joining the company in 2009.
About Habbekrats:
Habbekrats is a company that flourishes at the intersection of cinema, advertising and contemporary culture. We live to make film, know how to sell it and love to see it become part of something greater. We are based in Amsterdam, but consider the world as our playground. Founded in 2004 and firmly rooted in street culture, we will always be interested in stories unseen and untold. Our goal is to bring compelling stories of our time to an audience.
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