Gotham-based distributor Dekanalog has secured U.S. rights to Dachra, which won the coveted ‘scariest film’ award at Overlook Film Festival, reports Deadline.
Tunisian director Abdelhamid Bouchnak’s horror pic is based on a true story and follows a group of students who become trapped in an isolated village while trying to solve a 25-year-old murder case.
“Set against the backdrop of contemporary Tunisia, the feature revolves around female journalism student Yasmin and two male classmates who set out on a university assignment to solve the cold case of Mongia, a woman found mutilated 25 years ago and now imprisoned in an asylum, suspected of witchcraft.
“As they pursue their investigation, the three friends stumble into the archaic and ominous world of Dachra, an isolated countryside compound filled with goats, silent women, mysterious drying meat and steaming pots, which is home to a cult.
“When the cult’s jovial but menacing leader invites them to stay overnight, Yasmin is drawn into Dachra’s dark secrets and a desperate attempt to escape alive.”
“Witchcraft has always been my biggest fear and with Dachra I wanted to show how dark the human soul can be,” Bouchnak explained in a press release obtained by ScreenDaily (Sept. 2018).
Explained the site: “Bouchnak plays with the contrast between Tunisia’s image as one of the most liberal and modern countries in the Arab world and deeper primitive fears of witchcraft and cannibalism.”
The young cast features Yassmine Dimassi, Aziz Jebali and Bilel Slatnia in the co-starring roles. Here’s a previously-released international trailer.
