Spanish distributor Wild Duck Productions has acquired the rights to Indian director Bhargav Saikia's folk horror film "Bokshi" for a theatrical release in Spain during Halloween, after the film's successful festival run since its world premiere at the Rotterdam festival.
Deal Details
The acquisition deal was finalized between Luis Rosales for Wild Duck and Brett Walker with Miguel Angel Govea of Alief, representing the filmmakers. Spanish dubbing is set to begin next week.
Film Evolution and Festival Circuit
"Bokshi," translating to "witch" in Nepali, has undergone creative changes since its January 2025 premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam's Harbour section. It was recut to focus more on eroticism and dread, similar to Robert Eggers' style. This final version premiered at the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival and was screened at Sitges, SXSW Sydney, Razor Reel Flanders, and the Abertoir Wales festival in the UK.
Plot and Production
The film tells the story of Anahita, a troubled teenager who finds a mysterious history teacher, Shalini, leading a trek to 'The Navel,' an ancient site linked to a cult worshipping Bokshi, a feared demoness. The story unfolds in remote Himalayan locations in Sikkim, West Bengal, and Assam, shot over 80 days and featuring dialogues in Hindi, English, Nepali, and the fictional language Boksirit, crafted by Dutch linguist Jan van Steenbergen.
Creative Team and Future Plans
Directed by Saikia, the film stars Mansi Multani and Prasanna Bisht, with a screenplay by Harsh Vaibhav, who also serves as executive producer. Cinematography was managed by Siddharth Sivasankaran and A. Vasanth, music by Advait Nemlekar, and editing by Himanshu Chutia Saikia. Wild Duck Productions is known for genre films in Spain, having previously acquired Alief's "Nesting" at the European Film Market.
Currently, "Bokshi" is enjoying success across India's festival circuit, and the filmmakers are negotiating with exhibitors, streamers, and broadcasters for a national release. Alief has reported strong interest in the film from buyers in Southeast Asia, North America, the UK, and Europe at the Cannes market.
The project developed over five years by Saikia's Lorien Motion Pictures in Mumbai. Saikia, from Assam, directed "Awakenings" (2015) and "The Black Cat" (2017), both screened at prestigious festivals like Sitges and Neuchâtel.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/film/markets-festivals/indian-folk-horror-bokshi-spain-deal-wild-duck-1236751371/
