‘Cheat,’ FrightFest-Bound Supernatural Horror Film, Picked Up by Black Mandala

Patrick Frater
·2 min read

New Zealand-based specialty sales firm Black Mandala has picked up global rights to upcoming U.S. supernatural horror film “Cheat.” Written and directed by Kevin Ignatius and Nick Psinakis (“The Long Dark Trail”), the film is set for its world premiere at FrightFest and has now released a trailer.

The picture’s premise is the urban legend that a supernatural being from the afterlife will violently murder anyone who cheats on their partner. “Cheat” is set in a small Pennsylvania college town where the city’s unusually high suicide rate is finally convincing locals and college students alike that all is not as it seems. The story focuses on a college woman who sleeps with the married man of the host family she is staying with.

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The picture was produced by Ignatius and Psinakis’ New York-based Four Eighteen Films and stars April Clark, Corin Clay and Michael Thyer. Cinematography is by Connor Smyers.

The next edition of FrightFest is scheduled to be held in London, U.K., from Aug. 24-28.


Black Mandala handles sales of its own productions, as well as international sales of third party titles. It also acts as an official aggregator of platforms around the world, such as Amazon, Tubi, HOD, Frightfan IFlix, and Pantaflix.


The Auckland-based company was founded in 2017 by Michael Kraetzer and Nicolas Onetti. Kraetzer previously created labels such as I-ON New Media for distribution in Germany and Mandala Films for distribution in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. He started producing films in 2007. Onetti has successfully produced films in Argentina since 2013.

Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfsEBh1bif0

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