Gravitas Ventures, an Anthem Sports & Entertainment Company, and Myriad Pictures, have acquired worldwide distribution rights to A BEAUTIFUL CURSE. Written and directed by Martin Garde Abildgaard, produced by Les Producers’ Rikke Katborg and Francois Chilot, and edited by Marco Perez of Union, the film has become a festival darling since its world premiere at the 31st Cinequest Film Festival (California, USA) where it won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film. 19 festivals and 11 awards later (including two top honors at the RiverRun International Film Festival: Best Editing, by Marco Perez of bicoastal Union, and Best Cinematography, by Philippe Kress), the quirky modern fairy tale will be released on demand on June 28, 2022.  Earlier this year it premiered in Europe at the Paris International Film Festival, where it won Best Editing, Best Editing, and the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film. 

A BEAUTIFUL CURSE was produced by Rikke Katborg and Francois Chilot of Les Producers in association with Circus Alphaville, and Creative Alliance. Union’s Perez and Michael Raimondi serve as Executive Producers on the film. This international team previously collaborated on Abildgaard’s award-winning short, “Lovebirds.”

“After an extensive and award-winning film festival run, Gravitas is excited to bring A Beautiful Curse to the world. We feel that audiences will be as mesmerized with the story as we were,” said Senior Director of Acquisitions Bill Guentzler.

“I am delighted to be working with Gravitas and Myriad on the release of this important story,” added Katborg.

Filmed before the pandemic, yet oddly prescient, A BEAUTIFUL CURSE tells the story of photographer Samuel (Mark Strepan), who sneaks onto an island which is under quarantine due to a mysterious phenomenon where all the inhabitants have fallen into a sleep from which they cannot wake. While there, he falls in love with the sleeping Stella (Olivia Vinal), as he tries to unravel the mystery of the deep sleep that has overtaken everyone. The Edmonton Journal describes A BEAUTIFUL CURSE as “a sci-fi-fairytale reality romance with a Black Mirror vibe,” Mercury News wrote, "’Curse’ cast a dream-like spell," while Reel360 lauded the film, saying, "This refreshingly pure love story is just the catharsis our hearts, minds, and souls are longing for.”  

“Martin and I started working on A BEAUTIFUL CURSE back in 2019,” recalled Perez, whose recent credits include editing EDGE OF THE WORLD, directed by Michael Haussman and starring John Rhys Myers (that film recently took home Best American Director at the Septimius Awards in Amsterdam). “He allowed me incredible freedom in editing the movie; I could experiment and intertwine the characters' lives and dreams in a unique way. Many cast and crew members expressed similar feelings about Martin's directorial style, and I believe it is this freedom that propelled the movie through a long and successful festival season. We're excited to see how A BEAUTIFUL CURSE resonates with a wider audience.”

The film’s distribution coincides with its Spanish premiere at the Galacticat Festival at Tàrrega - the first and only show of fantastic and horror cinema in the lands of Lleida, Catalonia.

FESTIVALS

• The 31st Cinequest Film Festival (California, USA) – World premiere + repremiere
• The 35th Edmonton International Film Festival (Canada)
• The 30th St. Louis International Film Festival (Missouri, USA)
• The 39th Flickers Rhode Island International Film Festival (Rohde Island, USA)
• The 23rd RiverRun Film Festival (North Carolina, USA)
• The 22nd Newport Beach Film Festival (California, USA)
• The 20th San Diego International Film Festival (California, USA)
• The 18th Vail Film Festival 2021 (Colorado, USA)
• The 31st Woods Hole Film Festival 2021 (Massachusetts, USA)
• Aesthetica Film Festival 2021 (York, UK)
• Lake County Film Festival (Illinois, USA)
• Mystic Film Festival 2021 (New England, Connecticut, USA)
• Foot Candle Film Festival 2021 (North Carolina, USA)
• Loudoun Arts Film Festival 2021 (Virginia, USA)
• Cambria Film Festival (California, USA)
• Paris International Film Festival (Paris, France)
• The 25th Magnolia Independent Film Festival (Mississippi, USA)
• Bull City International Film Festival (North Carolina, USA)
• Galacticat Fantastic Film Festival (Tàrrega, Spain)

AWARDS

• Winner. Grand Prix – Best Feature Film. Paris International Film Festival 2022
• Winner. Grand Jury Prize - Best Feature Film. Cinequest Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Cinematography. Paris International Film Festival 2022
• Winner. Best Editing. Paris International Film Festival 2022
• Winner. Best Editing. RiverRun Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Cinematography. RiverRun Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Sound Design. 30th Woods Hole Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Cinematography. Loudoun Arts Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Production Design. Loudoun Arts Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Actor. Loudoun Arts Film Festival 2021
• Winner. Best Cinematography. Mystic Film Festival 2021

About Union
Union Editorial has offices located in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and London, where it maintains an alliance with Marshall Street Editors. The company also develops and produces original content. Other Union companies include Hunter, which provides finishing services, vfx, graphics and mix for commercials, features and gaming. Union is presided over by Partner/Managing Director Michael Raimondi alongside Executive Producer Joe Ross and Head of Production Dani DuHadway in LA, Partner/Managing Director Caryn Maclean alongside Executive Producer Melissa Lubin in NY, Executive Producer Vicki Russell in Austin, and Logan Aries, Executive Producer of Hunter. The Union roster is comprised of Partner/Editors Jim Haygood, Einar Thorsteinsson, Jay Friedkin, Sloane Klevin, Marco Perez, Merritt Duff, Graham Turner, and Chris Huth, editors Daniel Luna, Laura Milstein, Jason Lucas, Karen Kourtessis, Kevin Ray, Nicholas Wayman-Harris, Rachael Connelly, Zach Kashkett, Andrea MacArthur, Amanda Perry, Justin “Q” Quagliata, and Rick Lawley, as well as select projects with Guicho Flores, Teddy Gersten, Tim Thornton-Allan, Matt Chesse, John Mayes, Spencer Ferszt, Paul Plew and the Marshall Street roster.