IFC Films has picked up the North American distribution rights to director Pascual Sisto's John and the Hole, and they're planning to release the film on August 6th. Described as an "unorthodox coming-of-age story", John and the Hole had its premiere at Sundance and explores a really disturbing concept. The film follows
13-year-old John, who decides to drug his well-to-do parents and older sister. He then holds them captive within an unfinished bunker that he discovered while walking through the woods. Home alone, John experiences newfound freedom and independence.
Charlie Shotwell stars as John, with Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Ehle as his parents and Taissa Farmiga as his sister. Nicolas Giacobone, who earned an Oscar for co-writing Best Picture winner Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), wrote the screenplay, based on his short story El pozo.
IFC's Arianna Bocco had this to say about the distribution deal:
Pascual has crafted a film that channels all the anger and uncertainty of adolescence into a meticulously constructed nail-biter that really gets under your skin. We're thrilled to be partnering with him for the release of this incredibly exciting debut."
Elika Portnoy and Alex Orlovsky of Mutressa Movies produced John and the Hole with Michael Bowes. Phil Hoelting, Marco Vicini, Fernando Tsai, and 3311 executive produced.