THE APEX TIMES
Mavryk Acquires Worldwide Rights to SXSW Experimental Thriller ‘And Her Body Was Never Found’ Ahead of TIFF Market
The U.S. sales firm Mavryk has acquired worldwide rights to sell the feature directorial debut from Polaris Banks, an experimental thriller that premiered at SXSW earlier this year, as it heads to the Toronto International Film Festival market.
An experimental thriller that world-premiered at this year’s SXSW is moving into the international sales pipeline. Deadline reported that U.S. sales firm Mavryk has acquired worldwide rights ahead of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) market for And Her Body Was Never Found, a project that will be shopped to buyers during TIFF’s commercial programming.
The film is Polaris Banks’ feature directorial debut. Deadline described Banks as a co-writer of the script, working alongside Mor Cohen, who also appears in the film as a co-star opposite Banks. Details about additional cast and production credits were not included in the report.
Deadline said And Her Body Was Never Found is categorized as an experimental thriller. The publication also said the story follows Jeff, though it did not provide further plot specifics in the release it provided for its market announcement.
The acquisition sets up Mavryk to represent the film globally during TIFF’s market window, where sales agents typically seek distribution partners across territories. Deadline framed the deal as a “heads to TIFF market” move, indicating a near-term strategy for buyers to evaluate the film during the festival’s industry days and related deal-making events.
For filmmakers, the shift from festival premiere to market sales is often a key step toward securing distribution. SXSW premieres can generate early visibility for projects seeking broader commercial backing, while a TIFF market run can align the film with buyers looking for genre, auteur, and risk-accepting titles.
The report did not specify a release date, distribution commitments, or whether any territories had already been attached at the time of the TIFF-market announcement. The absence of those details suggests the rights acquisition is primarily focused on sales and representation rather than an immediate, fully announced rollout.
Mavryk’s involvement also positions the film within the sales-agent-led part of the festival economy, where rights holders package a project for acquisition discussions. Any eventual distribution outcomes would depend on buyer interest, agreement terms, and the film’s performance in the marketplace during TIFF’s industry period.
Why It Matters
- The deal positions the film for buyer exposure during TIFF market, a major venue for international distribution negotiations.
- A festival-to-market transition can determine whether an experimental genre film secures territory-by-territory distribution deals.
- The worldwide rights acquisition indicates Mavryk will control sales strategy across territories, at least for initial buying discussions.
- The announcement highlights how SXSW premieres are being used to launch projects into the commercial pipeline rather than limiting attention to festival audiences.
Key Facts
- Mavryk, a U.S. sales firm, acquired worldwide rights to sell And Her Body Was Never Found ahead of TIFF market.
- The film world-premiered at SXSW earlier this year.
- And Her Body Was Never Found is Polaris Banks’ feature directorial debut.
- Banks co-wrote the script with Mor Cohen, who also co-stars opposite Banks.
- Deadline reported the story follows a character named Jeff, but did not provide additional plot specifics in its market announcement.