By MICHAEL GINGOLD
Remember when Conan O’Brien said, “Ball’s in your court, Estonia” at the Oscars? Estonia is responding in a big way.
Dark Star Pictures and Red Water Entertainment have announced their acquisition of North American rights to the Estonian CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING, with a fall theatrical release planned. The movie will then roll out on VOD and digital platforms. The guerrilla production, which writer/director Sander Maran spent over a decade putting together, stars Karl-Joosep Ilves, Laura Niils, Janno Puusepp, Martin Ruus and Rita Rätsepp and has been described as “Monty Python meets TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE meets LES MISÉRABLES.” The synopsis: “The story follows new lovers whose budding romance is shredded apart–literally–by a chainsaw-wielding killer, setting off an anarchic odyssey full of gore, grief, and musical numbers.” (See our review here.)
CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING won Best Horror Movie at Fantastic Fest 2024, a Special Jury Mention in the New Flesh Competition for Best First Feature at Fantasia 2024 and Best Film at Buenos Aires Rojo Sangre 2024. Says Red Water president Avi Federgreen, “We’re always on the lookout for films that break the mold, and CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING does that with a chainsaw and a show tune. It’s rare to find something this original that also connects so instantly with audiences.”
“This is the kind of insane, fearless cinema that reminds you why we go to the movies,” says Dark Star’s Michael Repsch. “CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING is destined to become a midnight classic. We’re thrilled to unleash it on North American audiences together with Red Water Entertainment.”
