EXCLUSIVE: Dark Sky Films, the genre label of Watermelon Pictures co-founders Badie and Hamza Ali, has acquired U.S. distribution rights to The Vile, the award-winning Arabic-language psychological horror thriller from Emirati filmmaker Majid Al Ansari.
Produced by Spooky Pictures and Image Nation Studios, the film premiered at Fantastic Fest in Austin in September 2025, where it won Best Horror Feature, before continuing its international festival run at the Sitges, BFI London and Busan.
The first Arabic-language feature produced under the partnership between Spooky Pictures and Image Nation Studios, The Vile stars Bdoor Mohammad (Blood Wedding), Sarah Taibah (Jameel Jeddan), Iman Tarik, Jasem Alkharraz and Samira Al Wahaibi. Al Ansari directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Johnnie Alward.
The acquisition deal was negotiated by Justin DiPietro, Executive Vice President of MPI Media Group and Jason Ishikawa of Cinetic Media on behalf of the filmmakers.
Mohammad stars as a devoted wife and mother Amani whose seemingly stable family life is shattered when her husband returns home with a second wife, Zahra (Taibah), who is pregnant with his first son.
Determined to remain in the home and protect her daughter Noor, Amani fights to preserve her place within the family as increasingly disturbing events begin to take hold. As the line between psychological torment and supernatural threat starts to blur, Amani becomes convinced that Zahra is hiding something sinister — and her search for the truth threatens to consume her.
Blending intimate family drama with supernatural horror, The Vile explores betrayal, trauma, motherhood and the shifting balance of power inside the home through a distinctly Gulf perspective. The film marks Al Ansari’s return to feature directing following his internationally acclaimed debut Zinzana and his work on the Netflix series Paranormal.
“The Vile is exactly the kind of international genre filmmaking we want to champion at Dark Sky — bold, culturally specific and genuinely unsettling,” said Justin DiPietro.
“Majid has taken an intensely personal family conflict and transformed it into a sophisticated and frightening horror film, anchored by a remarkable performance from Bdoor Mohammad. We look forward to bringing this film to U.S. audiences.”
“I wanted to make a horror film where the fear comes not only from what may be lurking in the darkness, but from the emotional upheaval happening inside the family,” said Majid Al Ansari. “The Vile is rooted in a world and culture I know intimately, but the feelings of betrayal, fear and a mother fighting to protect her family are universal. I’m excited to partner with Dark Sky Films to bring the film to audiences across the United States.”
The Vile is produced by horror veterans Roy Lee (Weapons, Barbarian), Steven Schneider (Strange Darling, Paranormal Activity), Derek Dauchy (Late Night with the Devil) and Rami Yasin (Hokum, Watcher). Mohamed Hefzy (Voy! Voy! Voy!) and Yasir Al Yasiri (Hwjn) serve as executive producers.
Dark Sky Films will announce U.S. release plans for The Vile at a later date.
Get our Breaking News Alerts and Keep your inbox happy.
Comments On Deadline Hollywood are monitored. So don't go off topic, don't impersonate anyone, and don't get your facts wrong.
Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );