If you’ve been eager to brush up on your Estonian horror cinema, then you’ll be glad to know that Oscilloscope Laboratories has your back. The distribution company has snatched the North American rights to the fantasy-horror November that comes from Estonian director Rainer Sarnet (Where Souls Go, The Idiot).
Based on the novel Rehepapp by Andrus Kivirahk, the story mixes magic, humour, fantasy, horror and romance to tell a tale about a pagan Estonian village. In the village, werewolves, the plague and spirits wander free and its inhabitants steal from others, from spirits and from the devil. At the heart of the story is a young girl who falls for a boy named Hans, but her love turns her into a werewolf and leaves her willing to die for her feelings.
It sounds beautifully complex and bold, and the trailer shows an intricate fusion of multiple genres. The black-and-white photography adds another layer to the events, ironically emphasising that what unfolds is far from simple. We think it looks marvellously intriguing and can’t wait to see the film when it is unleashed.
November is currently screening at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Words: Jessy Williams (@JessyCritical)