A Sacrifice is a 2024 psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Jordan Scott, and starring Eric Bana, Sadie Sink, and Sylvia Hoeks. A co-production between Germany and United States,[2] the film is an adaptation of Nicholas Hogg's 2015 novel Tokyo.

A Sacrifice
Film poster
Directed byJordan Scott
Screenplay byJordan Scott
Based onTokyo
by Nicholas Hogg
Produced by
  • Ridley Scott
  • Michael Pruss
  • Jonas Katzenstein
  • Maximilian Leo
  • Georgina Pope
Starring
CinematographyJulie Kirkwood
Edited byRachel Durance
Music byVolker Bertelmann
Production
companies
Distributed byVertical (North America)[1]
Release dates
  • June 28, 2024 (2024-06-28) (United States)
  • August 1, 2024 (2024-08-01) (Germany)
Running time
94 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Germany
Languages
  • English
  • German
Box office$130,017[1][2]

A Sacrifice had a limited theatrical release in the United States by Vertical Entertainment on 28 June 2024. It was released in select cinemas in Germany (titled Berlin Nobody) on 1 August 2024.[2]

Plot

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An American social psychologist in Berlin must save his daughter from a cult after she falls in love with a boy who is under the thrall of the cult's charismatic leader.

Cast

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Production

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The film was co-produced by Ridley Scott and Michael Pruss for Scott Free Productions in conjunction with Cologne-based Augenschein Filmproduktion's Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, and Georgina Pope. Executive producers were Jonathan Saubach for Augenschein and Rebecca Feuer for Scott Free.

Kiernan Shipka was initially added to the production alongside Bana in January 2022, but left the project before principal photography began in September 2022.[3] In May 2022, Sylvia Hoeks was added to the cast. In September 2022, Sadie Sink, Jonas Dassler, and Sophie Rois were cast in the film.[4] Stephan Kampwirth and Lara Feith were announced to be part of the cast in May 2024.[5]

Principal photography began in Berlin in September 2022.[6] Filming was wrapped by December 2022.[7][8]

Release

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A Sacrifice is the second film (after The Dive in 2023) under the strategic sales partnership between UK-based Protagonist Pictures and the German distributor Augenschein Sales, with both companies sharing joint sales rights to the film worldwide.[9][10]

In February 2024, Vertical acquired North American distribution rights to the film (which was subsequently re-titled A Sacrifice in May 2024), releasing it in select theatres on 28 June 2024.[5][2]

A Sacrifice was released in Germany under the title Berlin Nobody on 1 August 2024.[2]

Reception

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Box office

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As of 30 August 2024, most of the film's revenue originated from its theatrical release in Russia, where it grossed $61,559 during its opening weekend, and went on to make the total of $122,360 in that territory after 56 days in release.[1]

Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 25% of 16 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.6/10.[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 44 out of 100, based on five critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[12]

Peter Sobczynski of RogerEbert.com gave the film one out of four stars and wrote, "The first two-thirds of A Sacrifice are a largely leaden affair... it then proceeds to get infinitely worse in its final act as it shifts from tediousness to outright lunacy".[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "A Sacrifice (2024)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "A Sacrifice (2024)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  3. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (January 27, 2022). "Eric Bana & Kiernan Shipka To Star In Thriller 'Berlin Nobody' For Scott Free & Augenschein; Protagonist Launches Sales On EFM Hot Pic". Deadline.
  4. ^ Ritman, Alex (May 19, 2022). ""Blade Runner 2049' Star Sylvia Hoeks Joins 'Berlin Nobody' as Protagonist Closes Key Sales (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter.
  5. ^ a b Fleming, Mike Jr (10 May 2024). "Vertical Lands NA Rights To Jordan Scott-Directed Thriller 'A Sacrifice' With Eric Bana & Sadie Sink". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  6. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (September 6, 2022). "'Stranger Things' Star Sadie Sink, Fresh Off Venice Movie 'The Whale', Joins Scott Free & Augenschein Thriller 'Berlin Nobody' With Filming Underway". Deadline.
  7. ^ Complex, Valerie (12 January 2023). "Scene 2 Seen Podcast: Sadie Sink Discusses The Whale, Stranger Things, and Working With Taylor Swift". Deadline.
  8. ^ "AP Breakthrough Entertainer: Sadie Sink smiles through drama". ABC News. December 16, 2022. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  9. ^ London, Rob (September 6, 2022). "Sadie Sink Joins 'Berlin Nobody' Opposite Eric Bana and Jonas Dassler". Collider.
  10. ^ "First look at new thriller BERLIN NOBODY". Augenschein Filmproduktion GmbH. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  11. ^ "A Sacrifice". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 8 October 2024.  
  12. ^ "A Sacrifice". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  13. ^ Sobczynski, Peter (28 June 2024). "A Sacrifice". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
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