IFC is still not done buying up every indie thriller in the land. The distributor’s latest acquisition sounds like a nasty look into the corporate world, Stuart Hazeldine’s psychological thriller EXAM.
Billed as CUBE meets “The Apprentice” (or “The Apprentice Goes To Hell”), the plot goes like this (be prepared to read): Eight talented candidates have reached the final stage of selection to join the ranks of a mysterious and powerful corporation. Entering a windowless room, an Invigilator gives them eighty minutes to answer one simple question. He outlines three rules they must obey or be disqualified: don’t talk to him or the armed guard by the door, don’t spoil their papers and don’t leave the room. He starts the clock and leaves. The candidates turn over their question papers, only to find they’re completely blank.
After the initial confusion has subsided, one frustrated candidate writes ‘I believe you should hire me because…,’ and is promptly ejected for spoiling. The remaining candidates soon figure out they’re permitted to talk to each other, and they agree to cooperate in order to figure out the question: then they can compete to answer it. At first they suspect the question may be hidden in their papers like a security marker in a credit card, and they figure out ways to change their environment to expose the hidden words. But light, liquids and other plans all come to naught.
Soon enough, the candidates begin to uncover each other’s background, prejudices and hidden agendas. Tensions rise as the clock steadily descends towards zero, and each candidate must decide how far they are willing to go to secure the ultimate job.
Gemma Chan, Jimi Mistry, Colin Salmon, Luke Mably, Pollyanna McIntosh and Nathalie Cox are among the cast. IFC will release Exam later in the year through its Festival Direct VOD, which is quickly becoming the most awesome channel on cable.
Other territories needn’t worry – the flick has been snatched up for distribution all over the globe. Rights have been licensed to South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Greece, Middle East, and Turkey. Sony will distribute in the UK.
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