EXCLUSIVE: Berlin-based ArtHood Entertainment has picked up worldwide sales rights to Iranian drama / thriller Living Twice, Dying Thrice ahead of its world premiere in ACID in Cannes.
The film, directed by Karim Lakzadeh, is about three miners who survive a mine collapse in Iran then decide to hide their deaths so their families can claim compensation. But the system requires proof of their bodies, and their families are willing to go to any lengths to collect the payment. Survival soon becomes a horrifying choice.
It is the fourth feature by Lakzadeh, whose previous film Dark Matter premiered in the Proxima competition section at Karlovy Vary in 2023.
Living Twice, Dying Thrice was filmed clandestinely by Lakzadeh in Iran with a small crew of friends.
“Living Twice, Dying Thrice is a great addition to our Cannes line- up, a film that shows the vitality of Iranian cinema, in spite of all the difficulties directors have to face. It is a compelling, contemporary and very original film: it starts as a social drama, but quickly takes a dark turn and the characters are dragged into a downward spiral from which they may not emerge alive,” said ArtHood’s Manola Novelli. “We are happy to collaborate with independent filmmakers from the Middle East, who use their creativity and vision to present their take on society and its contradictions using genre/ fantasy elements”.
Lakzadeh said: “I chose to work with ArtHood because of their strong focus on arthouse and independent cinema, which closely aligns with my own artistic sensibilities. Their experience collaborating with Iranian filmmakers and their commitment to Middle Eastern cinema also made them a particularly trustworthy and meaningful partner for my film.”
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