Olga Kurylenko To Star In Horror Film MARA

Olga Kurylenko (QUANTUM OF SOLACE, OBLIVION) will star in the supernatural horror film, MARA, it was announced today by The Solution Entertainment Group’s (The Solution) Myles Nestel and Room 101’s Steven Schneider (PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, INSIDIOUS) who will produce with Mann Made Films’ Scott Mann and James Edward Barker.

Cult favorite Clive Tonge will direct his feature film debut from an original collaboration with Jonathan Frank (THE TOURNAMENT), based on the mythology and true phenomena of sleep paralysis, commonly known as Sudden Unexpected Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS), which is scheduled to shoot in May next year.

Criminal psychologist Kate Fuller (Kurylenko) is assigned to the murder of a man who has seemingly been strangled in his sleep by his wife and the only witness is their eight-year-old daughter, Sophie. As Kate digs into the mystery of an ancient demon which kills people in their sleep, she experiences the same petrifying symptoms as all previous victims and spirals through a chilling nightmare to save herself and Sophie before she dares fall asleep again.

Synchronicity Entertainment, The Solution’s cutting edge vanguard division, is financing and selling the project.  Ruzanna Kegeyan, President of International Distribution, will introduce the project to international buyers at the American Film Market.

“MARA promises huge potential with the star power of Olga Kurylenko and up-and-coming horror director Clive Tonge at the helm.  We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Schneider in the launch of this new INSIDIOUS-type film franchise,” said Nestel.

Says Schneider, “Synchronicity and Mann Made Films are the perfect combination for MARA – innovative, vigorous and exciting companies in the independent sector.  Clive is a phenomenal talent and horror fans will embrace him as widely as they did James Wan and, with Olga starring, we’re onto another hit franchise.”

Said Mann and Barker, “When we started developing MARA with Clive and Jonathan, we aimed to partner with a visionary like Steven Schneider.  Now teamed up with him, alongside Synchronicity, and Olga’s exceptional talent on board as well, we have the best possible platform to make an incredibly entertaining and chillingly crafted piece of horror.”

Clive Tonge is a British filmmaker who began his career as a Music Video Director for multi-platinum bands such as Shed 7, Elastica, 808 State and Maximo Park.  His shorts have screened internationally in renowned film festivals including the Cannes Film Festival, Los Angeles Short Film Fest and Edinburgh Film Festival.

Olga Kurylenko rose to international fame as “Camille” opposite Daniel Craig in QUANTUM OF SOLACE.  She was recently seen earlier this year in the blockbuster sci-fi film OBLIVION with Tom Cruise and in the lead role of Terrence Malick’s TO THE WONDER with Ben Affleck. Her upcoming projects include VAMPIRE ACADEMY and The Solution’s NOVEMBER MAN directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Pierce Brosnan. Kurylenko is currently in production on THE WATER DIVINER with Russell Crowe.

Synchronicity Entertainment’s slate at AFM also includes the hotly anticipated Elijah Wood starrer COOTIES from SAW/INSIDIOUS franchise co-creator Leigh Whannell and PARANORMAL ACTIVITY franchise producer Steven Schneider, James Mottern thriller GOD ONLY KNOWS, starring Ben Barnes, Toby Jones, Leighton Meester and Harvey Keitel which is currently in post-production and PSYCH creator James Roday’s genre-bending horror GRAVY with Lily Cole, Gabourey Sidibe and Sarah Silverman.

Kurylenko is repped by CAA and Tavistock Wood.