Sovereign Films has acquired the distribution rights for the U.K. and Ireland for Red Path, a powerful new feature by Tunisian director Lotfi Achour. The film, which was a contender for the Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Festival, is set to be released in theaters during the second or third quarter of 2025.
Red Path tells the harrowing story of 13-year-old Achraf, who is thrust into a traumatic situation after his cousin Nizar is brutally murdered. Achraf is forced to deliver Nizar’s severed head as a grim message to his family, an act that leaves him haunted by his cousin’s ghost. Caught between the grief of his loss and the duty to recover Nizar’s body, Achraf struggles with overwhelming emotions while grappling with survival and his family’s expectations.
Director Lotfi Achour, known for his 2016 short film Law of Lamb which competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, drew inspiration from real events. “This film is inspired by a true story from 2015 in a poor mountainous region in Tunisia. It was a crime involving teenagers, striking for its violence and the cruel manner in which it was staged. The fact that it involved teenagers moved me deeply. I wanted to create a film about childhood and its resilience. It’s about how children use both real and imaginary means to confront violence and find a way forward despite the trauma,” Achour explained.
Red Path is a multinational production, with collaboration between Tunisia’s Artistes Producteurs Associés, France’s La Luna Productions, Belgium’s Versus Production, Poland’s Shipsboy, and Switzerland’s Bord Cadre Films. International sales are managed by MPM Premium.
The screenplay was crafted by Natacha De Pontcharra, with contributions from Achour, Doria Achour, and Sylvain Cattenoy. The film is produced by Anissa Daoud and Sébastien Hussenot.
Sovereign Films, known for bringing festival hits to wider audiences, adds Red Path to a growing list of acclaimed titles. Their catalog includes notable acquisitions such as Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or-winning Triangle of Sadness and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Memoria, featuring Tilda Swinton. They have also secured films like Willem Dafoe’s Inside and the Sundance nominee The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future.
Andreas Roald, CEO of Sovereign Films, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition: “We are thrilled to introduce this emotionally powerful and visually compelling film to audiences in the U.K. and Ireland. Red Path is a poignant examination of trauma and tradition, and we believe it will deeply resonate with viewers. Its recognition at Locarno underscores its artistic value, and we are excited about its upcoming release in our markets.”
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