Wild Side Films has acquired French rights to Headshot, the new film from acclaimed Thai director Pen-ek Ratanaruang.

Currently in production in Thailand, the contemporary film noir is adapted from the novel Fon Tok Kuen Fa (Rain Falling Up The Sky) by award-winning writer Win Leowarin. It tells the story of a hitman who wakes up after a two-month coma to find that he literally sees everything upside down. He tries to quit his job, but the past starts to catch up with him.

Nopachai Jayanama, who starred in Pen-ek’s Nymph, plays the hitman, and the cast also includes Cris Horwang who was the lead actress in the highest-grossing local film in Thailand in 2009, Bangkok Traffic (Love) Story.

Bangkok-based Local Color Films is producing the film, with Pawas Sawatchaiyamet and Raymond Phathanavirangoon serving as producers. Local Color, founded by Pawas, previously produced Wisit Sasanatieng’s Red Eagle and omnibus film Sawasdee Bangkok.

The deal with Wild Side was brokered by Phathanavirangoon and Wild Side COO Manuel Chiche.

“We have always been very attached to Pen-ek’s talents and have been waiting for him and his next project for quite some time. The script itself is full of action, humour, and philosophies Pen-ek style – very original,” Chiche said.

Wild Side’s upcoming releases also include Tsui Hark’s Detective Dee, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, Jaume Balaguero’s Sleep Tight and Na Hong-jin’s Yellow Sea.

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