Best Friend Forever has secured international sales rights for the Malayalam-language vampire revenge action-thriller “Half” in a significant move ahead of its world premiere in Toronto’s Midnight Madness section. This acquisition is notable as it represents a rare instance of Indian genre cinema gaining a European sales agent and a Midnight Madness slot months before its domestic release, rather than after establishing a home-market track record.
Produced by Kerala-based Fragrant Nature Film Creations, “Half” was directed and co-written by Samjad with Praveen Viswanath. The duo previously collaborated on the 2024 Malayalam psychological mystery-thriller “Golam,” which is available on Amazon Prime. The film stars Ranjith Sajeev, Aiswarya Raj, Abbas, Amala Paul, and Srikanth Muruli.
“Half” centers on twin half-blooded vampires, portrayed by Ranjith Sajeev and Aiswarya Raj, as they engage in a violent conflict with desert highway hijackers. The film is described as a gory martial arts Indian western. Choreographer Very Tri Yulisman, known for his work on “The Raid 2” and “The Night Comes for Us,” spent several months training the cast to perform their own stunts and developed custom camera rigs to capture the fight sequences in-camera. Members of Yulisman’s team also contributed to the recent hit “The Furious.”
Martin Gondre and Charles Bin, co-founders of Best Friend Forever, expressed their excitement for the film, stating, “‘Half’ is a fresh take on two genre classics, seamlessly blending the revenge thriller and vampire film with expertly choreographed fight sequences and top-tier production value. The Midnight Madness crowd is in for a brutally fun ride. We can’t wait to unleash it!”
The film was produced by Anne Sajeev and Sajeev P.K. for Fragrant Nature Film Creations, the Kerala-based company behind the successful Mohanlal-starrer “Pranayam” (2011) and the Sufi-themed romantic drama “Qalb” (2024). Excel Entertainment, in partnership with AA Films, will handle the presentation and distribution of “Half” across North India, marking Excel’s inaugural collaboration with the Malayalam film industry.
In addition to “Half,” Best Friend Forever’s TIFF slate includes “Elephants in the Fog,” a Cannes Un Certain Regard prize winner featured in the Centrepiece sidebar. Other current sales titles for the company include Annecy Grand Prix Contrechamp and Fantasia winner “Blaise,” Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Screenplay winner “Nina Roza,” and the animated features “Chimney Town: Frozen in Time” and “Papaya.”
