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Cineverse, the outfit behind the Terrifier franchise, has acquired all U.S. distribution rights to The Things You Kill by Iranian director Alireza Khatami with a theatrical release planned for this fall.

The Sundance 2025 film took home the Directing Award in the World Cinema Dramatic section followed by a strong festival run. It stars Ekin Koç as a Turkish born university professor working in the U.S. who is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. As long-buried family secrets resurface, the police tighten their noose, and doubts begin eroding his conscience. Ali has no choice but to look into the abyss of his own soul. With Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü, and Ercan Kesal.

“Alireza Khatami has swiftly established himself as one of the most compelling new voices in global cinema,...

The long shadow of patriarchal violence looms over much of writer-director Alireza Khatami’s third feature, The Things You Kill. While we don’t know all the reasons that led Ali (Ekin Koç) to leave his native Turkey for the United States to study and teach literature, it’s clear that the controlling and, at times, physically abusive behavior of his father, Hamit (Ercan Kesal), played a role. Tensions between Hamit and Ali, who moved back to Turkey several years back after 14 years abroad, are high whenever the latter stops over to visit his partially paralyzed mother (Güliz Şirinyan). Ali suspects that his father is preventing her from leaving the house and knows he’s beaten her in the past, and when she dies suddenly, supposedly from an accidental fall, Ali’s grief and anger overtake him in chaotic ways.

What follows initially appears like a conventional revenge tale, spurred...

Late in the incisive psychological drama “The Things You Kill,” Ali (Ekin Koç), a married man in his thirties, opens up about a traumatic episode in his childhood and the reasons why he decided to leave Turkey and study comparative literature in the U.S. The monologue is momentarily shot out of focus with his face slightly blurred, as if the more he reveals about himself the more clarity the image earns. Metaphorically, the ordeal he undergoes in this tale of emotional transmutation appears to occupy that interstitial, clouded space, with the protagonist seeking a lucid state of mind to confront his tempestuous present.

From Iranian writer-director Alireza Khatami — returning to solo directing after making the Iran-set film “Terrestrial Verses,” comprised of fierce political vignettes, alongside Ali Asgari — the intriguing narrative examines how a single person holds multiple identities within themselves, emerging depending on the situation they face. It’s...

The existential apocalypse of a Turkish literature professor gets an oblique and chilling study in “The Things You Kill.” On its surface, this disquieting diptych about male anxiety has the feel of, say, an Asghar Farhadi movie, a moral dilemma urging forth a thriller plot. But that’s precisely the sort of bait-and-switch Iranian writer/director Alireza Khatami is operating on here, until his tense and nightmarish film starts to resemble more something like David Lynch’s “Lost Highway” as directed by Abbas Kiarostami. Khatami (“Terrestrial Verses”), who lives in Canada, relocated the setting from Iran to Turkey to evade censorship in his native country — a censorship of patriarchal violence that the film itself also rings upon like a warning bell of a bleak future.

“The Things You Kill” ends with the same enigmatic line — “kill the light” — spoken by two very different people. One is born from a dream,...

Premiering out Sundance’s world dramatic competition ahead of subsequent play in Rotterdam, “The Things You Kill” marks Iranian auteur Alireza Khatami’s most personal and outré work to date.

Led by Turkish stars Ekin Koç (“Burning Days”), Erkan Kolçakköstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü (“The Protector”) and Ercan Kesal the film follows a 40ish professor whose life — and sense of self — begins to unravel following the suspicious death of his mother. Murkiness gives way to something altogether darker once the lead finds himself isolated and fragile in a system that offers men few healthy outlets for those emotions.

“We often talk about what the patriarchy does to women,” says Khatami. “But it also subjects men to forms of extreme violence, causing them to disintegrate in the process.”

Best Friends Forever is handling world sales.

How did you conceive this film?

From the start, the film was set up as a psychological thriller...

Brussels-based company Best Friend Forever has acquired international rights of Alireza Khatami’s “The Things You Kill.” The film is in post-production.

Khatami is already known for Cannes 2023 Un Certain Regard title “Terrestrial Verses” and “Oblivion Verses,” which was awarded best screenplay in Venice Horizons competition 2017 and won the Fipresci Prize.

Le Pacte will release “The Things You Kill” in France.

In the film, Ali, a university professor, is haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, and coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance. As long-buried family secrets resurface, the police tighten their noose, and doubts begin eroding his conscience, Ali has no choice but to look into the abyss of his own soul.

The star-studded Turkish cast includes Ekin Koç (“Burning Days”), Erkan Kolçakköstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü (“The Wild Pear Tree”) and Ercan Kesal (“Once Upon a Time in Anatolia”).

Khatami said: “‘The Things...

In the wake of five new horror movies releasing at home this past Tuesday, the October horror season rolls on today with another eight new horror movies being added to the mix.

Here’s the full list of horror movies released today, October 20, 2023!

For daily reminders about new horror releases, be sure to follow @HorrorCalendar.

The tenth installment in the franchise, Saw X has thus far scared up over $73 million at the box office, and it was just unleashed for Premium VOD rental and purchase today.

The DVD, Blu-ray and 4K will follow on November 21.

Lionsgate teases, “The return of Tobin Bell to the franchise furthers Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ goal of a film that captures everything Saw fans love about the franchise, while also keeping them guessing with all-new traps and a new mystery to solve.”

“John Kramer (Tobin Bell) is back for the untold chapter of Jigsaw’s final games.

Erkan Kolcak Köstendil is a multi-talented individual from Turkey. He is known for his work as an actor, writer, director, and singer. His family background includes his uncle, actor Bülent Sakrak. Köstendil was born and raised in Bursa, a major city in northwestern Anatolia. Initially, he aspired to become a goalkeeper, but his life took a different turn when he encountered two experienced actors who left a lasting impression on him. Inspired by them, he decided to pursue a degree in theater at the prestigious Mimar Sinan University of the Fine Arts.

Köstendil’s passion for the performing arts extended beyond acting. He ventured into writing, directing, and acting in plays and short films. One of his notable works is the play ‘Karsi Cinsle Tanisma Sanati’, where he showcased his talents as a writer and actor. Another play called ‘Aut’ earned him the title of ‘Actor of the Year’ and a ‘Young Actor Special’ award.

Creature is a 2023 Turkish horror mini-series directed by Çağan Irmak and starring Taner Ölmez, Erkan Kolçak Köstendil, and Şifanur Gül. The series is a modern reimagining of Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein, set in Ottoman-era Istanbul.

The series follows the story of İhsan (Erkan Kolçak Köstendil), a brilliant but reckless scientist who is obsessed with the idea of creating life. İhsan’s student, Ziya (Taner Ölmez), is also passionate about science, but he is more cautious and ethical than his mentor.

When tragedy befalls İhsan, Ziya takes it upon himself to finish his mentor’s work. However, Ziya’s experiments soon go awry, and he creates a monstrous creature (played by Engin Benli).

The creature is initially confused and frightened, but it soon realizes that it is different from everyone else. The creature is also aware that it is dangerous, and it tries to avoid contact with humans.

However,...

A brand new take on Mary Shelley’s classic horror novel Frankenstein is coming to Netflix in the form of “Creature,” a Swedish series that’s headed onto Netflix this Halloween season.

“Creature” premieres October 20. Watch the official trailer below.

In the series, “When tragedy befalls a reckless scientist in Ottoman-era Istanbul, his student uses untested methods to finish his work — with devastating consequences.”

The series stars Erkan Kolçak Köstendil as İhsan & Taner Ölmez as Ziya, with Engin Benli, Şifanur Gül, Bülent Şakrak, Sema Çeyrekbaşı, and Devrim Yakut.

“Creature” is created and written and directed by Çagan Irmak (Remember Us).

The post ‘Creature’ – Turkish Horror Series Coming to Netflix Reimagines ‘Frankenstein’ [Trailer] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

"We're helpless against death. You have to accept that." Or can we...? Netflix has unveiled an official trailer for an intense new Turkish series called Creature, adapted from the novel by Mary Shelly. This Turkish re-imagining of Shelly's classic Frankenstein story is set during the Ottoman Empire many years ago. One of the most fundamental questions of humanity, "death and beyond", is explored in Çagan Irmak's series. The biggest wish of Ziya, an adventurous, rebellious & excited young medical student, is to be a good physician and cure many epidemics that medicine cannot find a cure for. His path crosses with Ihsan, a fellow medical doctor, balancing the fine line between genius and insanity. However these two estranged, wounded souls will pay the price for the forbidden experiment they were brave enough to conduct. The series stars Erkan Kolçak Köstendil as İhsan & Taner Ölmez as Ziya, with Engin Benli, Şifanur Gül,...

"Wonder what happens if you awaken the beast within?" Netflix has revealed a teaser trailer for a new Turkish series called Creature, based on the novel by Mary Shelly. This Turkish re-imagining of Shelly's classic Frankenstein story is set during the Ottoman Empire many years ago. One of the most fundamental questions of humanity, "death and beyond", is explored in Çagan Irmak's new series. The biggest wish of Ziya, an adventurous, rebellious and excited young medical student, is to be a very good physician and cure many epidemics that medicine cannot find a cure for. His path crosses with Ihsan, a fellow medical doctor, balancing the fine line between genius and insanity. However these two estranged, wounded souls will pay the price for the forbidden experiment they were brave enough to conduct. The series stars Erkan Kolçak Köstendil as İhsan & Taner Ölmez as Ziya, with Engin Benli, Şifanur Gül,...

Alireza Khatami, the Iranian director who co-helmed “Terrestrial Verses” — which denounced the country’s authority and was the only film from Iran at Cannes this year — is directing “Things That You Kill,” a political drama about the patriarchy set in Turkey and featuring a starry cast.

Shooting recently wrapped in Turkey on Khatami’s new film, which stars Turkish A-listers Ekin Koç (“Burning Days”), Erkan Kolçakköstendil, Hazar Ergüçlü (“The Protector”) and Ercan Kesal.

The Canada-based Khatami’s first feature, “Oblivion Verses,” won the Venice Film Festival’s Orizzonti award for best screenplay in 2017. “Terrestrial Verses,” which Khatami co-directed with Tehran-based Ali Asgari, recently premiered in Un Certain Regard in Cannes. Shot in Tehran after the Mahsa Amini movement started, “Verses” consists of nine tableaus depicting the increasingly absurd and tragic plight that Iranians face in their everyday life with a scathingly ironic deadpan tone.

Khatami describes “Things That You Kill...

Three years ago, Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s handsomely made yet exoticizing “Mustang” reinforced a Western idea of rural Turkish life and was received with general acclaim away from home, proving that a filmmaker’s local origins don’t exclude an internalized brand of orientalism. That’s even truer with “Sibel,” Çagla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti’s third feature, the first one shot in Zencirci’s country of birth. Weaving together folklore, gender roles and a fitful kind of emancipation in the story of a mute young woman desperate to counter the ostracism of her fellow villagers, the writer-director couple have created an attractive package that doesn’t hold up to close inspection. Even so, thanks to the extensive use of an intriguing whistle language, and given the way it buttresses Western narrative notions of Asia Minor, the film has a good chance of garnering international art-house attention.

The movie’s...