Blue Finch Films has recently announced the sale of North American rights to their thrilling film, 'Last Straw,' to Shout! Studios at the Berlin European Film Market. The screenplay, written by Taylor Sardoni, pays homage to the pressure-cooker genre films of the past and offers a raw and unrelenting twist on the home-invasion thriller.
'Last Straw' revolves around a young waitress working the late shift alone at a rural roadside diner. Her life takes a terrifying turn when she becomes the target of a group of masked assailants. Throughout the night, she must summon all her strength to survive. The film, which premiered at Beyond Fest and Sitges last year, marks the directorial debut of Alan Scott Neal. The cast includes Jessica Belkin ('American Horror Story'), Jeremy Sisto ('Thirteen'), and Taylor Kowalski ('Snowfall').
The production of 'Last Straw' is a collaborative effort, with Daniel Brandt, Dane Eckerle, and Cole Eckerle from Bad Grey Productions, along with Michael Giannone and Phil Keefe representing AC3 Media, and Levon Panek and Sam Slater from Burn Later Productions serving as producers.
Gus Krieger, the director of acquisitions and development at Shout! Studios, expressed his excitement about the acquisition, stating, ''Last Straw' is a smart and twisty edge-of-your-seat thriller that delivers scares and surprises in equal measure. A layered screenplay and terrific performances led by the dynamic Jessica Belkin make this night of hell-on-earth a terrifying pleasure, and Shout! is honored to bring the experience to audiences nationwide.'
The filmmakers, Eckerle and Brandt, also expressed their enthusiasm for partnering with Shout! Studios, praising the company's deep understanding of positioning genre films for success. They aimed to create a film with a modern voice while paying homage to genre classics, some of which are part of Shout's library. They are thrilled to bring 'Last Straw' to North American audiences through this partnership.
Blue Finch Films' EFM slate includes the horror film 'Oddity,' which is set to premiere at SXSW, as well as the horror-comedy 'Destroy All Neighbors.' Their international lineup also features the thriller 'Steppenwolf' from writer-director Adilkhan Yerzhanov, which premiered at Rotterdam, and the Sitges and Beyond Fest title 'Last Straw.' Additionally, they have the Tribeca-selected 'You'll Never Find Me,' the SXSW narrative competition winner 'Raging Grace,' and the Sydney-winning, SXSW 2024-selected gender politics thriller 'Birdeater.'
With the acquisition of 'Last Straw' by Shout! Studios, audiences across North America can look forward to experiencing this intense and gripping thriller that promises to keep them on the edge of their seats.
