EXCLUSIVE: Filmmaker Julien Hayet-Kerknawi on Monday announced the launch of Enigma Releasing, a Belgium-based distribution company dedicated to bringing high-quality European indie films to U.S. theaters, and vice versa.
The company’s first release will be The Last Front, a WWI action thriller co-written and directed by Hayet-Kerknawi, which is slated to hit theaters nationwide on August 9. Going forward, Enigma intends to acquire and shepherd other new theatrical films, aiming for 4-5 film releases a year.
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Starring Games of Thrones‘ Iain Glen, The Last Front is set in a Belgian village during the tumultuous start of World War I, watching as the Lambert family find themselves thrust into the heart of the conflict. At the center is Leonard Lambert (Glen), a devoted husband and father who grapples with protecting his family amidst the chaos of war as German forces advance to their village. Amidst the war, a tender love story blossoms between Adrien Lambert (James Downie), Leonard’s son, and Louise Janssen (Sasha Luss), a local villager. Their relationship serves as a beacon of hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
Written by Hayet-Kerknawi and Kate Wood, the film also stars Sasha Luss (Anna), Joe Anderson (Across the Universe), Emma Dupont (Don’t Tell Her), David Calder (Rush), and Julian Kostov (Shadow and Bone). Virginie Hayet produced after serving in that capacity on Hayet-Kerknawi’s short film, A Broken Man.
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“It took 8 years to make “The Last Front,” and I am incredibly proud to shepherd it into America through Enigma Releasing,” said Hayet-Kerknawi in a statement to Deadline. “This journey, alongside my sister Virginie, our producer, marks the beginning of a new chapter.”
Prior to The Last Front, Hayet-Kerknawi helmed the thriller Stolepark, along with a number of shorts including the aforementioned A Broken Man.