"Fréwaka," a horror film told in both the Irish and English languages, has been scooped by AMC’s streamer Shudder.
“Fréwaka” will debut on Shudder in 2025, Variety reported on Thursday, October 10.
The streamer picked up the Irish horror film’s rights in North America, Ireland, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
Aislinn Clarke, the Irish writer and director of “Fréwaka,” said: “I’ve followed Shudder since its inception and have seen it grow to become a world-leading platform for smart, daring, and exciting films, at the very cutting edge of new horror.
“I am thrilled to work with Shudder in bringing 'Fréwaka' to an international audience.”
A synopsis of "Fréwaka" says: "Haunted by a personal tragedy, home care worker, Shoo, is sent to a remote village to care for an agoraphobic woman who fears the neighbours as much as she fears the Na Sídhe – sinister entities who she believes abducted her decades before.
"As the two develop a strangely deep connection, Shoo is consumed by the old woman’s paranoia, rituals, and superstitions, eventually confronting the horrors from her own past."
Ahead of the film's production in Co Louth in May 2023, Clarke said: "This film is an original take on Irish folklore and contemporary Ireland, exploring the tension that exists between past and present, the personal and the public."
"Fréwaka" - which was released in Ireland as "Fréamhacha," the Irish word for roots - had its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland in August.
At the festival, Clarke, who also directed the 2018 horror flick "The Devil's Doorway," spoke about how Irish folklore and mythology inspired her latest project:
To mark the film's world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival, Screen Ireland shared this clip in July:
Meet Shoo.
Ahead of its World Premiere @FilmFestLocarno next month, discover an exclusive first look clip of Aislinn Clarke’s Irish folk horror Fréwaka - proudly supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. 🐐 📽️#IrishFilm #IrishHorror #Cine4 @WildCardDistrib pic.twitter.com/x3IWtG5wLt
— Screen Ireland (@ScreenIreland) July 19, 2024
Followed by this clip in August:
The 77th @FilmFestLocarno begins today!
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is proud to support Aislinn Clarke’s Fréamhacha (Fréwaka), which will receive its World Premiere at the festival this week.
Take a look at a clip from the film below: 🐐 📽️#IrishFilm #IrishHorror pic.twitter.com/ujgKYf5VGI
— Screen Ireland (@ScreenIreland) August 7, 2024
"Fréwaka" stars an all-female cast including Clare Monnelly ("Doineann," "Moone Boy"), Bríd Ní Neachtain ("The Banshees of Inisherin," "Róise & Frank"), and Ukrainian actress Aleksandra Bystrzhitskaya ("F20").
Produced by Dermot Lavery for DoubleBand Films ("Doineann") and by Patrick O’Neill for Wildcard, "Fréwaka" was funded through the Cine4 scheme, supported by Screen Ireland, TG4, Coimisiún na Meán, and Section 481.
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