Prime Video Picks Up Sundance Flesh-Eating Fairy Midnight Title ‘In My Mother’s Skin’
In what reps the first acquisition of this year’s Sundance Film Festival by a streamer, Prime Video is taking global rights to Kenneth Dagatan’s Filipino horror movie In My Mother’s Skin which is premiering in the Midnight section on Friday, Jan. 20. A Q4 drop date in several countries is currently scheduled.
In My Mother’s Skin is the only non-English title playing in this year’s Midnight lineup.
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Set in 1945 Philippines, at the tail end of World War II, the pic follows the story of Tala, a 14-year-old daughter of a Philippines textile merchant who lives in a war-worn colonial house with her sickly mother Ligaya and younger brother Bayani. When Tala’s father mysteriously leaves once more to barter for his family’s freedom with the Japanese, his family finds themselves alone in their isolated forest mansion, awaiting his return. With Ligaya’s condition rapidly deteriorating, Tala seeks out a mysterious fairy who has promised to protect her. Happy to oblige, the fairy gifts Tala a magical insect to cure her dying mother. This initially provides Ligaya with relief, but later leads to disastrous consequences that forces Tala to make a distressing decision.
Pic stars Beauty Gonzalez, Felicity Kyle Napuli, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, James Mavie Estrella, and Angeli Bayani. Dagatan also wrote. Bradley Liew, Bianca Balbuena, Huang Junxiang, and Stefano Centini produce.
“We’re proud to be the home of some of the best Filipino storytellers like Kenneth, and excited to see how this film will receive international recognition in Sundance Film Festival’s Midnight Section. In My Mother’s Skin is a uniquely Filipino story and a highly elevated horror film, we are delighted to bring this movie to not just audiences in the Philippines but Prime Video members worldwide.” said Head of Originals Amazon Studio APAC, Erika North.
Dagatan who will be present at the film’s world premiere at Sundance, adds, “I’m excited that In My Mother’s Skin has been recognized at such an important festival like Sundance, and will now also have the chance to be watched by a global audience on Prime Video. This is truly a moment for Filipino filmmakers to be seen by the international audience and I hope this opens doors for more Filipino content to be watched by the rest of the world.”
In My Mother’s Skin is Dagatan’s second feature as director. His debut movie, Ma, in 2018 was about a young boy who sells his soul to a sinister entity in order to bring his dead mother back to life. Ma was the first original film for the Philippine streaming platform, iWant.
Last year Amazon and Blumhouse acquired world rights to Nikyatu Jusu’s horror movie The Nanny for $7M.
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