‘Martyrs’ Director Biting Into Vampire Lore With ‘Nocturnal’
Pascal Laugier, the French filmmaker behind Martyrs, one of the most potent and brutal horror films in the past twenty years, is next taking a bite out of the vampire genre with Nocturnal.
David Birke (Elle, Benedetta, Slender Man) is reuniting with Benedetta and Elle producer Saïd Ben Saïd and Laugier on the vampire horror film, reports Deadline.
“Set in 1943, the story follows a group of refugees fleeing Vichy France who attempt a desperate crossing of the English Channel, only to become stranded on what appears to be a deserted island.
“The island, however, is home to an immortal supernatural evil.
“As the curse of undeath consumes the refugees one by one, only a single survivor remains both alive and human. She is then forced to adapt to life on the fringes of a strange, violent, and deeply perverse community formed by her former companions.”
The screenplay, which has been a longtime passion project for Birke, dates back to his student years and has gone through multiple iterations over time.
The project is now moving forward with SBS Productions and SBS International, which is handling sales at the Cannes market.
Production is aiming to begin this fall in Latvia.