Philippines horror film “Legend of the Tall Grass” (aka “Talahib”), directed by Alvin Yapan, has been picked up for international sales by U.S.-Thai finance, production and sales firm EST N8.
Set in an abandoned subdivision, the story follows police officer Bong and police inspector Roman as they investigate a string of paranormal killings amidst the ominous talahib grass fields. The film stars Joem Bascon (“Write about Love,” “Walang Hanggan”), Jess Mendoza (“The Natural Phenomenon of Madness”), Gillian Vicencio (“Eerie”) and Kristof Garcia (“Mercury Is Mine”).
EST said that “Legend” merges the intrigue of slasher films with a deep dive into the cycle of violence and the redemptive power of forgiveness, adding that the film crafts a narrative that not only thrills with its horror elements but also explores the impact of inherited violence and the challenging journey towards forgiveness.
Yapan is a distinguished figure in the Philippine cultural industry, with 15 feature films, screenplays, shorts and TV miniseries to his credit over the past 16 years, including “The Dance of Two Left Feet” (aka “Ang Panggagahasa Kay Fe”). His awards include the NCCA Writers Prize in 2005, the National Award for Best Novel for “Ang Sandali ng mga Mata” in 2006, and a Golden Award for Digital Films at the 33rd Cairo International Film Festival in 2009.
The new film was produced by Jane Gonzales and presented by the FeastFoundation (“Call Me Papi,” “Oro,” “Culion”). The rights sales deal was brokered by Tenten Wei and Sophie Shi of EST N8. The company is introducing the film to buyers at this week’s Hong Kong FilMart.
“We are excited to collaborate with an outstanding Asian filmmaker like Alvin Yapan and bring more of Asia’s captivating stories to the forefront of global cinema,” said Jaeson Ma, chairman of EST Studios.
EST N8 was established last year as a joint venture between U.S.-based EST Studios and Thailand’s N8 company. It has quickly made a mark by picking up a large and multi-cultural slate and attending all the major markets.
Other titles in the EST Studios sales lineup include the Philippine multi-award-winning film “ASOG,” which premiered at Tribeca 2023; the Busan official documentary selection “April Tragedy (The Daughters of That Day)”; the Cantonese-language thriller “Tape,” based on a Richard linklater film; Asian horror titles “Dead Boys Club” (aka “Geng Kubur”); and Emmy-award winning director Jessica Q. Chen’s documentary “Surf Nation.”
EST Studios also recently added Korean sci-fi thriller “30 Minutes,” directed by William Inhyuk Hyoung, and the Netflix streaming horror thriller “Chabak” from producer Tiger Yeongseop Kim, to its slate.
