By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Murderous magic is coming to streaming, completely uncut.
Cosmic Films has announced it has picked up North American rights to ABRAKADABRA, from Argentinean filmmakers Luciano Onetti and Nicolás Onetti (FRANCESCA, WHAT THE WATERS LEFT BEHIND). Germán Baudino, Maria Eugenia Rigon, Gustavo Dalessanro, and Clara Kovacic star in the giallo-styled movie, which was scripted by the Onettis and Carlos Goitia; the synopsis: “Dante the Great, a world-renowned magician, dies in a tragic stage accident during a perilous illusion. Thirty-five years later, his son Lorenzo [Baudino], now a celebrated magician himself, prepares for a major performance in one of the city’s most prestigious theaters. But when a string of brutal murders unfolds and evidence begins pointing directly to him, Lorenzo must unravel the deadly mystery before the final curtain falls.”
First screened at festivals in 2018, ABRAKADABRA was issued on a now out-of-print Blu-ray and scattered international streaming platforms; some of the latter were heavily censored. Cosmic will begin releasing it on major North American streaming and AVOD platforms beginning this month in its fully intact form. “We love films that deserved more than they got the first time around,” says Cosmic founder Danny Takacs. “ABRAKADABRA is a perfect example of a modern giallo done right. It’s sleek, moody, stylish, and crafted with real affection for the classics. It slipped through the cracks, but now it finally gets the chance to find the cult audience it always deserved.”
