Ariane Labed Joins Ena Sendijarevic’s English-Language Debut “The Possessed”

“The Possessed” is a forthcoming feature set in 17th-century Europe. It follows two women fleeing witch hunts who create a refuge until a man becomes their captive, sparking a love triangle. The film marks Bosnian-Dutch writer-director Ena Sendijarevic’s first English-language project and her third feature after “Take Me Somewhere Nice” (2019) and “Sweet Dreams” (2023).

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Sendijarevic first attracted attention with “Take Me Somewhere Nice,” selected for ACID Cannes and winning the Special Jury Prize at Rotterdam. “Sweet Dreams” premiered in Locarno’s main competition, won the Pardo for best performance and was the Netherlands’ Oscar submission. Variety named her a 2024 “Director to Watch.” “The Possessed” was showcased at Les Arcs and CineMart.

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French actress Ariane Labed, a Venice best-actress winner for “Attenberg,” is known for roles in Yorgos Lanthimos’s “Alps” and “The Lobster,” Richard Linklater’s “Before Midnight,” and Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir” series. She recently won a best-actress prize at Locarno for “Fidelio l’odyssée d’Alice” and earned a César nomination. Labed is represented by United Agents and Agence Adequat. Director Ena Sendijarevic, Bosnian-born and Netherlands-based, co-writes and directs “The Possessed,” emphasizing the need for fearless performances.

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Layla Meijman and Maarten van der Ven (Studio Ruba) produce the film, co-produced with Eklips (Sendijarevic), Distinto Film (Miriam Porté) and VPRO (Martien Vlietman). Associate producer Amra Bakšic Camo represents SCCA/pro.ba. Funding comes from the Netherlands Film Fund, COBO, ICEC, Creative Europe MEDIA and Uniqa. Casting will be finalized in the coming months.

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The film’s 17th-century setting and focus on women fleeing witch hunts, paired with the participation of award-winning talent Ariane Labed and director Ena Sendijarevic—who has earned international festival recognition—make “The Possessed” a significant addition to contemporary European cinema.

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> “I have followed and been inspired by Ariane Labed’s work for more than a decade, and I consider her one of Europe’s most daring and singular actresses. This project has a bold concept that will demand fearless performances, and so it is both an honor and a great excitement to bring Ariane into the fold for ‘The Possessed,’” — Ena Sendijarevic, Writer-Director

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Production is slated to begin once the international cast is finalized. The film will likely enter the festival circuit in 2027, positioning it for potential awards consideration and broader distribution across Europe and North America.

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