Vertical picks up Last Sentinel starring Kate Bosworth, Lucien Laviscount, Martin McCann and Thomas Kretschmann

Vertical has secured NA rights to sci-fi thriller Last Sentinel, written by Malachi Smyth and directed by Academy Award-nominated Tanel Toom. Set in the near future, the film follows a skeleton crew of soldiers stranded at sea on an abandoned military outpost awaiting the arrival of reinforcements or an enemy invasion, whichever comes first. Vertical will release the film as a day-and-date on March 24.

Last Sentinel stars Kate Bosworth (Along for the Ride), Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris), Thomas Kretschmann (Infinity Pool), and Martin McCann (The Informer).

Set in the near future, unchecked and rampant climate change has caused temperatures and sea levels to rise catastrophically. Only two large continents remain, and billions die during the mass migration to these higher lands. Surrounded by an endless ocean thousands of miles from home, a skeleton crew of soldiers (Bosworth, Kretschmann, Laviscount, and McCann) stand as the last bastion, defending their homeland from an invasion by an enemy they have never seen, monitoring for signs of attack and prepared to sacrifice themselves for the cause. Their tour of duty ended 3 months ago with no relief in sight. Alone and uncertain as to what fate awaits them, the simmering tension amongst the crew escalates when a mysterious boat drifts into range – is it the help they have been waiting for, or something far more sinister?

The film is produced by Ben Pullen, Ivo Felt, Jorg Bundschuh, Pippa Cross and Matthew James Wilkinson. Vertical’s Peter Jarowey, Rich Goldberg, and Mitch Budin are executive producers on the film along with Headgear’s Phil Hunt and Compton Ross, Altitude’s Will Clarke, Andy Mayson and Mike Runagall, BR/Arte’s Carlos Gerstenhauer, Sentinel’s Sam Corsellis and William Pullen, Tallifornia’s Rain Rannu, Ichiban’s Raido Toonekurg together with Janette Day, Malachi Smyth and Josef Brandmeier.

“We are thrilled that audiences will be able to finally experience the world of Last Sentinel. A world of terrifying storms, of fear and mistrust, of love and deep pain and of overriding hope for a better future,” commented Producer Ben Pullen. “This film, made with the blood sweat and tears of cast and crew, will hopefully win over audiences with its powerful emotional journey and thrill them with its bold, ominous vision of a future earth.”

“Last Sentinel does an incredible job of immersing the viewer in the harrowing, desolate conditions of this watch tower that the crew is trapped in yet refuses to abandon,” commented Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey. “The chaos of being stranded at sea is as terrifying as it is beautiful in its portrayal, and every character delivers the performance of a lifetime. Audiences will be captivated from start to finish.”

Jarowey and Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal on behalf of Vertical, while Mike Runagall of Altitude Film Sales negotiated on behalf of the production.

Kate Bosworth is repped by Jim Osborne, Kris Heller and John Nahai at APA and Morris Yorn Barnes Levine, Thomas Kretschmann by Barry McPherson at APA, Lucien Laviscount by John Summerfield at Waring and McKenna and Martin McCann by Ollie Azis at Independent Talent. Tanel Toom is repped by Michelle Archer at United Artists and Abram Nalibotsky at Gersh, and Malachi Smyth by Andrew Mills at Revolution Talent and Abram Nalibotsky at Gersh.

In Co-production with Bayerischer Rundfunk in cooperation with Arte, financially supported by Estonian Film Institute, FernsehFondsBayern, Bayerischer Bankenfonds, Deutscher Filmförderfonds, Estonian Cultural Endowment, and MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg.