EXCLUSIVE: Claustrophobic thriller to make its market premiere; first trailer released.

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Bankside Films has acquired high-concept suspense thriller Event 15 and will hold invitation-only, market premiere screenings during Cannes.

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The London-based sales and production finance firm will exclusively represent worldwide territories for international sales.

The film tells the story of three soldiers who find themselves trapped in an elevator as Washington DC comes under attack from chemical warfare.

It stars Jennifer Morrison (House), Josh Stewart (The Walking Dead) and Stephen Rider (The Host).

It is the second feature from British director Matthew Thompson, a former Screen Star of Tomorrow whose credits include Dummy starring Aaron Taylor Johnson and TV series’ Primeval and March of the Dinosaurs.

Event 15 is produced by Christine Alderson of the UK’s Ipso Facto Films together with Thomas Sterchi and Lars Wiebe of Germany’s Millbrook Pictures, which also provided production finance for the film.

Stephen Kelliher, head of sales and marketing at Bankside, said: “Event 15 is a tense and gripping thriller that had us on the edge of our seats when we saw it. It offers its audience an original and unexpected take on the genre.”

Alderson added: “For Matthew and everyone involved in the project, it’s been a passionate and intense year making this film.”

Bankside Films’ Cannes slate also includes Amma Asante’s Belle in post-production with promo available; Peter Chelsom’s Hector & The Search For Happiness starring Simon Pegg, Toni Collette, Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgard and Christopher Plummer in production with teaser trailer available; and Mark Hartley’s sci-fi re- make Patrick with 20 mins footage screening.  Mat Whitecross’s Stone Roses feature Spike Island and John Huddles’ sci-fi feature The Philosophers are screening in the market.