Locarno Title ‘Red Path’ Nabbed by Sovereign for U.K.-Ireland Release

Sovereign Films has acquired U.K. and Ireland distribution rights to “Red Path,” the latest feature from Tunisian director Lotfi Achour, which competed for the Golden Leopard at this year’s Locarno Film Festival.

The film, set for theatrical release in the second or third quarter of 2025, centers on 13-year-old Achraf, who is forced into a gruesome and unimaginable act after his cousin Nizar is murdered by a group of men. Carrying the severed head of his cousin as a brutal message to his family, Achraf finds himself haunted by Nizar’s ghost. As his elders fail him, Achraf is torn between holding on to Nizar’s spirit and fulfilling his duty to recover his cousin’s body, while grappling with the overwhelming burden of grief and survival.

Achour, whose 2016 short “Law of Lamb” vied for the Palme d’Or at Cannes, drew inspiration from actual events. “This film is inspired by a true story that took place in 2015 in a poor mountainous region in Tunisia. It’s the story of a crime involving teenagers that was striking both for its violence and for the cruel way it was staged. The fact that this story concerned teenagers moved and touched me, to the point of obsession. So I wanted to make a film that was first and foremost about childhood and its capacity to resist. A childhood that uses various means, both real and imaginary, to face up to this violence and to survive it and make its way in life, despite the traumas,” Achour said.

The project is a multinational effort, with production credits shared between Tunisia’s Artistes Producteurs Associés, France’s La Luna Productions, Belgium’s Versus Production, Poland’s Shipsboy, and Switzerland’s Bord Cadre Films. MPM Premium handles international sales.

The screenplay is by Natacha De Pontcharra, with additional writing from Achour, Doria Achour, and Sylvain Cattenoy. Anissa Daoud and Sébastien Hussenot serve as producers.

“Red Path” joins Sovereign’s catalog alongside recent acquisitions including Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness” and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s “Memoria” starring Tilda Swinton. The distributor has built its reputation on festival-circuit fare, with recent pickups including Willem Dafoe-starrer “Inside” and Sundance nominee “The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future.”

Andreas Roald, CEO of Sovereign, said: “We are delighted to bring this emotionally powerful and visually arresting film to U.K. and Irish audiences. ‘Red Path’ is a poignant exploration of trauma and tradition, and we are confident it will deeply resonate with viewers. The film’s success at Locarno underscores its artistic significance, and we look forward to its release in the U.K. and Ireland.”

MPM Premium previously sold “Red Path” to France, Belgium and the Middle East and North Africa.