Yahoo Movies First Look: MPX Launches Coming-of-Age Horror Movie ‘Student Body’ at Cannes Virtual Market (EXCLUSIVE)
Motion Picture Exchange has acquired worldwide sales rights on the coming-of-age horror film “Student Body,” and will be launching it out of the Cannes Virtual Market next week.
Written and directed by Lee Ann Kurr in her feature debut, the film features Montse Hernandez (“Lowriders,” “Jane the Virgin”), Cheyenne Haynes (“Camping”), Harley Quinn Smith (“Cruel Summer,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”), Austin Zajur (“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”), Anthony Keyvan (“Love, Victor,” “Generation”), and Christian Camargo (“See,” “The Hurt Locker”). “Student Body” is produced by the breakout, all female creative team of Rachel Liu, Sandra Leviton and Kurr.
More from Variety
The story centers around high school student Jane Shipley (Hernandez), who seeks to mend her splintering relationship with childhood best friend Merritt (Haynes), and fit in with Merritt’s rebellious clique. When Jane’s math teacher (Camargo) oversteps his bounds, an apathetic high school administration forces Jane and Merritt to take matters into their own hands, driving their relationship into further turmoil and inciting deadly consequences.
“For me, this film is about the all-too-real terror of growing up, especially as a young woman,” Kurr said. “The horror/thriller genre space was perfect to plumb the depths of that terror. Equally perfect is the film’s ensemble of young, stunningly talented actors— their performances bring a new ‘Breakfast Club’ for this generation to life. Only now, these students have way more to worry about than detention… and isn’t that the scary truth for all students in 2021?”
“Elevated, intelligent and character-driven horror films have been a personal passion for as long as I can remember, and seeing ‘Student Body’ truly soar as a stand-out in the genre and shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the greats really makes us proud to be part of the team,” said Ryan Bury, senior VP of acquisitions and sales for MPX.
Launched in Cannes 2019 by James Andrew Felts, MPX saw robust sales year in 2020 with more than 19 movies sold and released in the U.S., including “Percy vs. Goliath” (Saban), “Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story” (Shout Factory), “Faith Based” (Gravitas), “Before the Plate” (Freestyle), “A Thousand Miles Behind” (Level33), “The Runners” (Uncork’d) and “Transference: Dark Mutants” (Epic Pictures/Dread Releasing).
Timed to the Cannes Market, MPX has also boarded global sales rights on “Wired Shut,” a thriller/horror written/directed by Alexander Sharp; road trip dramady “Hudson,” directed by Sean D. Cunningham; and “All in My Power,” a documentary first-hand account of healthcare workers’ response to COVID-19 during the initial weeks of the pandemic in Manhattan. These films will premiere alongside “Student Body” at the market.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
