NEON has today debuted the official trailer for Thea Hvistendahl‘s feature directorial debut, the horror drama Handling the Undead, based on the eponymous novel written by John Ajvide Lindqvist who also wrote the screenplay.
Handling the Undead begins one hot summer day in Oslo when the dead mysteriously awaken, and three families are thrown into chaos when their deceased loved ones come back to them. One family is faced with the mother’s reawakening before they have even mourned her death after a car accident; an elderly woman gets the love of her life back the same day she has buried her; and a grandfather rescues his grandchild from the gravesite in a desperate attempt to get his daughter out of her depression.
Handling the Undead is described as being a drama with elements of horror; a story about grief and loss, but also about hope and understanding of what we can’t comprehend or control.
Commenting on the film, Hvistendahl said, “I wanted to make a film about how people in deep grief would react to getting their dead loved ones back. I wanted to investigate the emotions, conflicts and existential questions that this phenomenon
could unearth in someone. To try and give resolution to individuals, characters that are longing for the return of those lost… and show them what this would actually mean … Death is beyond our control and is probably the only thing humans haven’t yet conquered. My hope is to leave the audience with a feeling of love, that the experience of watching the film will provide a renewed sense of appreciation for those around them… while they still have them.”
The cast includes Cannes-winning actress Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Bjørn Sundquist, Bente Børsum, Bahar Pars, Olga Damani, Kian Hansen og Inesa Dauksta.
The film is produced by Einar Film in collaboration with Swedish Zentropa, Nordisk Film and Filmiki,Greece. It is distributed in the Nordic region by Nordisk Film, and international sales is handled by TrustNordisk. The film is supported by several national and regional funds including both Norwegian and Swedish Film Institute, Nordisk Film & TV Fund and Film I Väst. Neon has secured the right for both North America and the UK.
Handling the Undead opens exclusively at the IFC Center in NY on May 31, 2024.
