IFC Midnight acquires Nicholas McCarthy’s ghost story The Pact

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

IFC Midnight announced today from the 2012 SundanceFilm Festival that the company is acquiring North American rights, to writer-director Nicholas McCarthy’s THE PACT. The film, which premiered in the festival’s Midnight section on January 20, stars Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, Haley Hudson, Kathleen Rose Perkins, Sam Ball, and Agnes Bruckner. The film was produced by Preferred Content’s Ross M. Dinerstein, and executive produced by Jamie Carmichael at Content, as part of a new multi-film financing deal between Preferred Content and Content Film.

THE PACT follows sisters Nicole and Annie who reluctantly return to their childhood home when their mother passes away to pay their last respects. While staying overnight in the house, the sisters sense a mysterious presence in their midst: noises startling them in the night, objects moving about, a fallen picture of an unknown woman posed next to their mother. Annie begins experiencing a series of intense and disturbing dreams ­ visions that lead her to uncover something terrible about her mother’s past that is finally revealing itself. This feature film was inspired by an acclaimed 2011 Sundance Film Festival short of the same name directed by McCarthy. It is one of the first films to be conceived, and premiere, as a narrative short, and just one year later return to the festival feature film.

President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films Jonathan Sehring said: “Nicholas McCarthy makes a bold directorial debut here, and turns the vintage haunted house story into a modern and terrifying film. McCarthy also offers up an exciting young cast led by Caity Lotz who, deservedly so, has been one of the breakout stars of this year’s festival. It’s also great to see Casper Van Dien here.”

Indeed, it’s always great to see Caspar Van Dien. Anywhere.

In any case, Sundance has obviously been very kind to Mr. McCarthy. Once we find out what IFC’s plans for THE PACT are, we’ll let you know.

Caity Lotz