Scandinavian sales company TrustNordisk has picked up international sales rights to the thriller MYSTERY RIDE.
The film which is currently in pre-production, will be directed by award-winning writer and director Virginia Heath. Shooting start is currently set for second quarter of 2014.
Heath has won several international awards for her previous projects. In 2001 she was nominated for the European Film Awards and took home the Award for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival (2002) for the title RELATIVITY. MYSTERY RIDE will be her feature film debut. Heath is currently directing the documentary OURSELS AS ITHERS SEE US (expected 2014).
Cast in the leading role as Kate Connelly is actress Kelly Reilly who has appeared in a number of acclaimed and highly successful films such as PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (2005), SHERLOCK HOLMES (2009) and recently has been seen in FLIGHT (2012), playing opposite Denzel Washington. Also added to cast is New Zealand actor Sam Neill (JURASSIC PARK (2003) and A LONG WAY DOWN (Expected 2014)) and Scottish actor Peter Mullan (WAR HORSE (2011) and HERCULES, (expected 2014).
The unexpected death of her unfaithful husband, Jack, forces Kate Connelly to return to the isolated town of Tarawera in rural New Zealand. Here, ten years ago, a young hitchhiker, Donna Marlowe, mysteriously disappeared the day before Kate´s wedding. Kate wants to sell the family farm to clear Jack´s debts and leave as soon as possible. But when she re-encounters Ray, a brooding, handsome Maori guy, an old flame and Jack´s one-time best friend, Kate discovers selling the farm and leaving might not be quite so simple.
MYSTERY RIDE is written and directed by Virginia Heath, produced by Grant Keir from Faction North and Lene Bausager from Ugly Duckling Films. Randolph Paul is co-producer of the project which is supported in development by New Zealand Film Commission and Creative Scotland.