Cannes: Sarah Gadon, Eili Harboe Board ‘The Northwoods’ (Exclusive)

Film Mode Entertainment is selling the film — the feature helming debut of writer-director Emma Higgins — in Cannes.

THR – Sarah Gadon (Alias Grace, True Detective) and Eili Harboe (Thelma, The Wave) are teaming for the Canada/Norway co-production The Northwoods from writer-director Emma Higgins.

The pair will play sisters who return home for the first time since their mother’s tragic passing and reconnect on a trek of the vast Norwegian fjords. When their guide mysteriously disappears, they realize that trying to outrun the horrors of their past is just as futile as escaping what is waiting in the darkness.

The pic will be the debut feature from award-winning director Higgins, who also penned the script. Celebrated for her work in music videos, Higgins most recently earned critical acclaim for her 2018 Juno Award-nominated video for “The Drugs” by the Canadian indie rock band Mother Mother. She also took part in the Nordic Co-Production and Finance Market at the Norwegian International Film Festival with the film project.

The Northwoods is being produced by Dave Hudakoc of levelFILM, Einar Loftesnes of Handmade Films In Norwegian Woods, Daniel Quinn, Jeff Pangman and Evan Landry. Paul Barkin of Alcina Pictures and Clay Epstein of Film Mode Entertainment will serve as executive producers.

The movie will be shot in northern Norway and Canada.

Film Mode Entertainment will introduce the film to buyers in Cannes and will represent it internationally. Film Mode Entertainment and CAA Media Finance are handling U.S. rights; levelFILM will handle Canadian distribution and SF Studios holds Scandinavian rights.

Gadon is repped by CAA and her longtime manager Dani De Lio at Creative Drive Artists. Harboe is also repped by CAA alongside Swedish agency Agentfirman Planthaber/Kildén/Mandic.