Other than when the supernatural is involved, cannibalism isn't a subject regularly explored on screen but it was the basis for the story behind Mexican director Jorge Michel Grau's acclaimed 2010 Cannes entry "Somo Lo Que Hay" (translated as "We Are What We Are"). The film has been in line for an American remake by Jim Mickle (the vampiric "Stake Land") since February but looks to be coming together quickly now that sought-after actress Riley Keough ("Magic Mike," "Jack & Diane") has joined the project, headlining a newly announced cast.
Described as a re-imagining of Grau's film, the story will follow the story of two sisters, played by Keough and Julia Garner ("Martha Marcy May Marlene"), who are secluded from mainstream society. After the untimely death of their mother, their father forces them to perform a depraved ritual carried out by their ancestors for generations — an act that involves cannibalism. Bill Sage and Wyatt Russell are also part of the cast as the girls' father and a young deputy in love with Keough's character, respectively.
Our review of the original Mexican film described it as a "vital piece of cinema, a story of family under duress given a little extra spice" which certainly sounds promising although Mickle's previous effort "Stake Land" didn't exactly impress us. Lensing begins later this month and the film is aiming to be "delivered in January 2013," conveniently when Sundance unspools. [ScreenDaily]
