HBO Max Snags Rights to Horror Hit ‘1978’ as Black Mandala Closes Multiple Territory Deals (EXCLUSIVE)

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The New Zealand company, Black Mandala, has managed to close several distribution agreements worldwide for the critically-acclaimed supernatural horror movie “1978,” by the Onetti Brothers. This film has been generating buzz at film festivals since its debut in 2024.

At the Cannes Film Market, Black Mandala’s Co-CEOs Nicolás Onetti and Michael Kraetzer, together with Catherine Quantschnigg, their head of sales, successfully closed deals with several international distributors. These deals include HBO Max for Latin America, 9th Plan for Poland, Best Digital for Taiwan, Wild Duck for Spain, Take1 for both Scandinavia and Benelux, Busch Media for Germany, as well as an additional unnamed partner.

Black Mandala’s Co-CEOs Nicolás Onetti and Michael Kraetzer, along with head of sales Catherine Quantschnigg, sealed deals at the Cannes Film Market with various distributors worldwide. The agreements cover HBO Max for Latin America, 9th Plan for Poland, Best Digital for Taiwan, Wild Duck for Spain, Take1 for both Scandinavia and Benelux, Busch Media for Germany, and an additional yet unnamed partner.

In my perspective, I’ve found a captivating film that skillfully combines the chilling elements of historical tragedy with the spine-tingling terror of the supernatural. This compelling narrative unfolds against the backdrop of Argentina’s military dictatorship and the dramatic 1978 World Cup soccer match between Argentina and Holland, masterfully directed by Luciano and Nicolás Onetti.

In 2024, the movie titled “1978” made its debut at the Cannes Film Market during the Blood Window Showcase. Since then, it has become a genre sensation, being showcased at over 30 international film festivals such as Sitges Film Festival, Screamfest L, and Santiago Horror Film Festival. The movie has garnered numerous awards across various festivals. After its festival circuit, “1978” had a successful theatrical launch in Argentina.

This performance showcases a talented group of Argentines, such as Agustín Pardella from “Society of the Snow,” Mario Alarcón known for “The Secret in Their Eyes,” and Carlos Portaluppi who starred in “Argentina 1985.

During the 1978 World Cup final, under Argentina’s military rule, a brutal gang storms a home and abducts young individuals, only to transport them to a secret prison. What initially appears as inhumane questioning transforms into something otherworldly when it’s uncovered that the wrong people have been seized – they belong to a grotesque cult, mysteriously led by an unknown supernatural entity.

Black Mandala is working on various other chilling horror and suspenseful titles intended for worldwide genre fans. These include the period slasher thriller “Nobody Will Hear Your Cries of Terror” where Paula Brasca experiences a harrowing claustrophobic ordeal, forced to remain motionless among dead bodies while bizarre rituals take place overhead; the erotic thriller “Dream Novel”; the supernatural horror “Containment,” which reimagines possession themes in a unique way; and “Lake Jesup,” where redemption collides with terrifying reptilian encounters.

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2025-05-18 17:16