SXSW: Lionsgate Nabs Rights to ‘Exists,’ the Bigfoot Found Footage Film from ‘Blair Witch’ Director

Lionsgate has acquired North American distribution rights to “Exists,” the Bigfoot found footage film from “Blair Witch Project” director Eduardo Sánchez, the company announced today. The horror film premiered last night at SXSW to a sold-out midnight screening.

The film tells the story of five friends who go camping in the backwoods of Texas only to be menaced by the famed — and feared — creature.

The film stars Chris Osborn, Madison Burge, Roger Edwards, Samuel Davis, Denise Williamson and Brian Steele and is produced by Jane Fleming, Mark Ordesky, Robin Cowie and J. Andrew Jenkins. It is executive produced by George Waud, D. Todd Shepherd, Gregg Hale and Reed Frerichs. The Sasquatch Creature, aka Bigfoot, was designed by Spectral Motion.

“It is especially gratifying to sell the film at SXSW in Austin so close to Bastrop, Texas where we shot EXISTS with an amazing Texas-based cast and crew. We look forward to working with Lionsgate to bring Ed’s vision to the masses,” said Fleming and Ordesky, who developed and produced the film with Haxan Films through their production company.

Jason Constantine, Lionsgate’s President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions; Eda Kowan, Lionsgate’s SVP of Acquisitions; and Wendy Jaffe, Lionsgate’s EVP of Business and Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of the Studio. Graham Taylor and Christine D’Souza at WME and Stuart Rosenthal at Bloom Dekom negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers.