Black Mandala Films and Red Owl Films are bringing eight genre titles to Berlin’s European Film Market, spanning Lovecraftian horror, queer mockumentary and award-winning Ecuadorian fantasy.
This slate includes recent acquisitions and festival selections, as well as several market premieres.
Black Mandala’s lineup includes Kai E. Bogacki’s The Behemoth, a supernatural horror film based on Lovecraftian mythology and using practical effects. The film builds up tension, then turns into what the company calls a rambling, bloody space nightmare.
Blood Covenant is a horror anthology starring Maika Monroe (It Follows), Alia Bedmar (Hermana Muerte), and Joe Keery (Stranger Things). The film is a meta-narrative that explores the cost of artistic creation, unfolding through multiple independent stories linked by a demonic pact.
Directed by Manu Herrera, “Lily’s Ritual” follows four young women hidden in a remote forest. The film stars Maggie Garcia, Patricia Peñalver, Eve Ryan, and Elena Gallardo and combines occult mythology with psychological tension.
“Tabula Rasa” is a psychological thriller starring Spanish actor Macarena Gomez, known for her award-nominated role in “Musarañas.” The film is a blend of family drama and atmospheric suspense.
Under the Red Owl Films banner, director Nicanor Loretti’s “Ex” blends cosmic horror and relationship-driven drama over one surreal night. “No Blood in My Hands” is a psychological thriller set in Berlin’s underground art scene through a delusional hallucination.
Written, directed, shot and edited by Javier Cutrona, Fishgirl was shot entirely in Ecuador and won an award at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. This surreal fantasy drama explores themes of identity, memory, and psychological change.
Directed by Montreal-based filmmaker Kay Adelaide, “The Rebrand” is a queer horror mockumentary featuring an all-queer cast and crew. The found footage film has won multiple festival awards.
Oakland-based Black Mandala was founded in 2017 by Michael Kraetzer and Nicolas Onetti and specializes in independent horror and genre distribution, with over 150 titles under its belt.
