Magnolia Pictures grabs rights to Neil Jordan’s Ondine

Magnolia Pictures announced that it has acquired U.S. rights to Ondine, the latest movie from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Neil Jordan, who wrote, directed and produced the project.

Ondine stars Colin Farrell, Stephen Rea and features newcomer Alicja Bachleda in the title role. It will be released early this summer as part of Magnolia’s Ultra VOD program, debuting on video on demand systems nationwide a month prior to its theatrical release.

Ondine is the enchanting story of Syracuse (Farrell), a lonely fisherman who one day pulls a beautiful woman named Ondine (Bachleda) out of the sea in his nets. His young daughter Annie is convinced that she is a “selkie” —a creature from Irish folklore much like a mermaid. Syracuse has his doubts, but as Ondine brings some luck and joy to his otherwise downcast life, he starts to come around as well. Ondine deftly blends romance and fantasy with the realism of modern life in an Irish seaside town.

“This film was a labor of love, and I’m looking forward to working with Magnolia to give it the audience it deserves,” said director Neil Jordan.