Lauryn Canny is the lead in DARLIN, the continuation of the twisted 2011 cult hit THE WOMAN. Pollyanna McIntosh is best known for her role as Jadis in “The Walking Dead” and has wrapped production on her debut feature film, which is set to make its market debut in Cannes. DARLIN’ is a Hood River Entertainment production produced by Andrew van den Houten. McKee and Ketchum served as executive producers of the film.
DARLIN’ continues the twisted adventure of Lucky McKee’s 2011 cult hit The Woman, which he novelized with famed horror writer Jack Ketchum. McIntosh reprises her role in Darlin‘, alongside Lauryn Canny (1,000 TIMES GOOD NIGHT), Bryan Batt (MAD MEN, 12 YEARS A SLAVE), Nora-Jane Noone (THE MAGDALENE SISTER, THE DESCENT, BROOKLYN) and Cooper Andrews (THE WALKING DEAD, SHAZAM, HALT AND CATCH FIRE), with fellow “The Walking Dead” alumni Sabrina Gennarino and Thomas Francis Murphy.
Found at a Catholic hospital filthy and ferocious, feral teenager Darlin’ is whisked off to a care home run by The Bishop and his obedient nuns, where she’s to be rehabilitated into a “good girl” as an example of the miraculous work of the church. But Darlin’ holds a secret darker than the “sins” she is threatened with, and she is not traveling alone. The Woman who raised her, equally fierce and feral, is ever present in the shadows of Darlin’s psyche and is determined to come for her no matter who tries to get in her way.
“I’m thrilled to present Darlin’ at a time when audiences are showing their love for entertaining, visceral social issue horror and are hungry for female voices,” said McIntosh. “With Darlin’ I was blessed with a talented cast and crew, including our female leads, DP, location scout and editor, who all came to the project with such passion. It will be an honor to show their hard work, which made the movie the feast it is, and to introduce the enormous talent of young star Lauryn Canny to new audiences.”
Added Goelzhauser, MPI’s VP of international sales: “We are proud to bring this film to Cannes, especially since it represents a strong new female voice in a traditionally male-dominated genre.”
Van den Houten said: “When I first directed Pollyanna as The Woman in the Ketchum-adapted Offspring, which I also produced, I knew we had found lightning in a bottle with her. So began the dream of a trilogy for the character to live through. I’m honored that The Woman herself, Pollyanna McIntosh, is the one who has written, directed and co-starred in this third chapter. Seeing this talented collaborator take the reins with so much confidence and vision has been a personal and professional joy.”
