Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Smoczyńska‘s feature debut, the horror mermaid musical The Lure, dazzled upon release in 2017. While her English-language debut Silent Twins starring Letitia Wright is set to debut this Fall, the filmmaker’s current project, Hot Spot, has our attention.
The filmmaker spoke with Variety today about her work, teasing Hot Spot‘s premise “about a disillusioned private eye Djonny, investigating a murder at a refugee camp and confronting a cyber witch who takes control of his life.”
Smoczyńska had us at “cyber witch.”
“In Europe, it’s good to have co-productions. It’s better for arthouse films, especially nowadays. On this sci-fi film, based somewhere in the future, we will have Greece, France and Poland on board,” the filmmaker said of Hot Spot‘s production. In other words, don’t expect a fully English-language feature in Hot Spot.
Hot Spot will also reunite Smoczyńska with screenwriter Robert Bolesto, her collaborator on The Lure.
“To me, ‘Hot Spot’ is a story where the main feeling is fear, just like in a horror movie. And in today’s world,” Bolesto previously told Variety. Smoczyńska describes the new project as a “personal blend of horror, science fiction and anti-detective story,” signaling another unique genre-bender from the filmmaker.
“It’s not an obstacle anymore: it’s just another challenge. When I was making ‘The Lure,’ the situation was very different. Now, when I am working on something, I usually start with one genre. Then, once I start following the characters, everything gets more complicated,” Smoczyńska said previously.
The project is being developed with the support of The Sundance Institute, which presented Smoczyńska with its 2017 Global Filmmaking Award.
Producers include Klaudia Smieja-Rostworowska at Poland’s Madants, who produced Claire Denis’ High Life and Agnieszka Holland’s Mr Jones, alongside Before Midnight producer Christos V. Konstantakopoulos at Greek production outfit Faliro House. New Europe Film Sales is handling sales.
Stay tuned for more details on this sci-fi dystopian witchy tale as they arrive.
