Shudder Acquires "Find Your Friends" for June Release

Shudder has acquired the rights to "Find Your Friends," the feature debut of writer and director Izabel Pakzad. The film, which stars Bella Thorne, Chloe Cherry, Helena Howard, Sophia Ali, and Zion Moreno, is set to be released on June 12. The narrative follows Amber and her four friends as they escape Los Angeles for a girls' trip to Joshua Tree, only to encounter hostility from the local community. As tensions rise, the group's dynamics deteriorate, leading to a violent struggle for survival.

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Izabel Pakzad drew inspiration for "Find Your Friends" from a personal experience during a similar trip to Joshua Tree. In an interview, she recounted a terrifying incident where she and her friends were pursued by a stranger in a car, leading to a high-speed chase. This experience shaped the film's themes of paranoia and survival in an unfamiliar environment.

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"Find Your Friends" premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival, where it was featured as one of the festival's headliners. It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival as one of the ten Industry Selects and had its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest. The film's reception at these festivals has contributed to its anticipation ahead of its release on Shudder.

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Izabel Pakzad expressed her gratitude for Shudder's support, stating, “Shudder champions work that refuses to play by the rules and challenges everything we think young women should be in genre films.” Emily Gotto, senior vice president of acquisitions and productions at Shudder, described the film as “a visceral film that begins as an escape into the stark beauty of the desert and quickly descends into a gripping struggle where paranoia, resentment, and survival collide.”

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"Find Your Friends" is produced by Allison Friedman, Andrea Iervolino, Luca Matrundola, Monika Bacardi, Gary Michael Walters, and Pakzad herself, who also serves as an executive producer. The acquisition deal was negotiated by Shudder with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) on behalf of the filmmakers, while WTFilms is managing international sales.

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While the film has garnered excitement, some critics may question the portrayal of women in horror and thriller genres, particularly regarding the "final girl" trope. However, Pakzad aims to subvert these expectations, creating a narrative that is both raw and unapologetic.

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As "Find Your Friends" approaches its release date, audiences can expect a film that challenges traditional genre conventions and offers an intense, emotionally charged experience. The film's unique premise and Pakzad's personal connection to the story are anticipated to resonate with viewers, potentially setting a new standard for female-led narratives in horror.

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