Rising star Emeraude Toubia (Freeform’s hit TV series “Shadowhunters,” Amazon’s “With Love”) is set to star in the high concept horror film Rosario, it was announced today. The film marks the feature directorial debut by Felipe Vargas, DGA Award-winner for his breakout, viral horror short Milk Teeth, which launched him into projects at Paramount, Lionsgate, and Sony. The film is written by Alan Trezza (We Summon the Darkness).
Rosario is produced by Silk Mass’ Jon Silk and Mucho Mas’ Javier Chapa and Phillip Braun. The film is executive produced by Highland Film Group’s Arianne Fraser and Delphine Perrier, as well as Toubia, Bruce Barshop, Vincent Cordero and Simon Wise.
Mucho Mas Media is financing and producing the film. Highland Film Group is handling worldwide rights, launching sales at the upcoming Marché du Film. Production is set to start in June in Bogotá, Colombia and New York City.
“Growing up on my grandmother’s campfire tales of witchcraft and the macabre, I’m thrilled to bring to life this terrifying story of an evil family curse,” said director Felipe Vargas. “It’s an honor to film this rollercoaster ride of horror in my home country of Colombia alongside an extraordinary team. We can’t wait for the world to meet Rosario!”
“We’re excited for audiences to see Felipe’s vision for this come to life on the big screen,” said producers Silk, Chapa and Braun. “Felipe has tapped into the heart and pain that powers this incredible script, and with the winning charisma and complicated undertones that Emeraude brings to all of her performances, we’re confident audiences will fear for, and fall in love with, Rosario.”
“We are so pleased to be working with the rising actress Emeraude Toubia in this smart and chilling film in the vein of the Blumhouse movies. She will brilliantly portray the successful stockbroker who is forced to confront an unthinkable and otherworldly evil,” said Highland Film Group CEO Arianne Fraser. “We are thrilled to team up for our second movie with producers Javier Chapa and Jon Silk. Set against the sleek backdrop of New York City, Rosario is a bold, intense and twisted horror film and we cannot wait for cameras to roll on this exciting project,” added Highland Film Group COO Delphine Perrier.
Rosario (Emeraude Toubia), a successful stockbroker on Wall Street, is forced to spend the night with the body of her estranged grandmother Griselda who has abruptly died. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, a heavy snowstorm locks her inside the apartment, surrounded by unfriendly neighbors. As the night endlessly stretches on, twisted and menacing supernatural forces that have possessed Griselda’s corpse begin their assault on Rosario. Now the target of a deadly family curse that spans generations, in a desperate attempt to break the evil, Rosario must battle everything she knows about her past to save herself and her soul.
Emeraude Toubia is best known for her starring role in Freeform’s series “Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments,” winner of multiple Teen Choice and People’s Choice Awards. Currently, she is starring in Gloria Calderón Kellett’s series “With Love” for Amazon Studios, which premieres on June 2. Toubia, of Lebanese and Mexican descent, started her career starring in both youth and primetime telenovelas for various Latin American markets.
Felipe Vargas is repped by CAA and Magnolia Entertainment. Emeraude Toubia is represented by UTA, Vision Entertainment and Goodman Genow Schenkman.
Highland Film Group’s current sales slate also includes Joe Carnahan’s survival thriller Not Without Hope starring Zachary Levi; Simon West’s action comedy Old Guy starring Christoph Waltz; the sci-fi thriller The Astronaut starring Emma Roberts and Laurence Fishburne; Dimitri Logothetis’ actioner Gunner starring Morgan Freeman and Luke Hemsworth; Jenn Wexler’s sci-fi thriller Rachel; Adam Cooper’s crime thriller Sleeping Dogs starring Russell Crowe and Karen Gillan; William Eubank’s action thriller Land of Bad starring Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth and Luke Hemsworth; Audrey Cummings’ western action film Place of Bones starring Heather Graham and Tom Hopper; the survival action-thriller Arcadian starring Nicolas Cage and Rod Blackhurst’s Blood For Dust starring Scoot McNairy, Kit Harington and Josh Lucas.
