Indie film lovers, get ready—because A Prayer for the Dying, an upcoming survival thriller, just dropped its first-look photo, and it’s got all the makings of a gut-wrenching, tension-packed ride. The image teases the intense dynamic between stars Johnny Flynn (Ripley, Beast) and Academy Award nominee John C. Reilly (Chicago, Gangs of New York), and if that combo doesn’t scream indie gold, we don’t know what does.
This intense drama is the directorial debut of Dara Van Dusen, based on Stewart O’Nan’s novel, and production just kicked off outside of Bratislava, Slovakia, last month. With A Prayer for the Dying, Van Dusen is stepping behind the camera for what looks to be a bloody, survivalist brawl set against the unforgiving landscape of 1870s Wisconsin. Here’s the setup: a small town of Scandinavian settlers, already nursing their Civil War wounds, faces a new deadly threat. Our hero has to make the impossible choice: save his family or protect the community that gave him a second chance.
“…a bloody, survivalist brawl set against the unforgiving landscape of 1870s Wisconsin.”
Alongside Flynn and Reilly, the film taps into some serious Scandinavian talent, including Kristine Kujath Thorp (Ninjababy, Sick of Myself) and Gustav Lindh (The Northman). Producers Dyveke Bjørkly Graver and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, known for indie gems like The Worst Person in the World, are behind the wheel on this one, making sure it packs that indie-film punch.
Anton and New Europe Films are handling the worldwide rights and are still pitching the flick at the Toronto International Film Festival, so you know it’s hot stuff. With a cast this stacked and a storyline that’s going to test every character’s moral compass, this is one you won’t want to miss.
Stay tuned for more details as A Prayer for the Dying continues to carve its path in the indie scene.
