Sam Riley, Stacy Martin Thriller ‘Islands’ Lands Key Territory Sales for Protagonist, Including U.K. and France (EXCLUSIVE)

‘Islands,’ Jan-Ole Gerster’s thriller that first bowed in the Berlinale earlier this year to critical acclaim, has secured key distribution deals for Protagonist Pictures and augenschein Sales.

The film — Sam Riley (“Control,” “Firebrand”), Stacy Martin (“The Brutalist,” “Nymphomaniac”) and Jack Farthing (“The Riot Club,” “Spencer”) — had already sold to Greenwich Entertainment for the U.S., as Variety announced earlier this month.

Additional deals now include BFI Distribution, which took rights for U.K. and Ireland, Jour2Fête for France, Cherry Pickers for Benelux, Jour2Fête for France, Spentzos Film for Greece and Cyprus, Pris Audiovisuais for Portugal, Investacommerce AG for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia, Transilvania Film for Romania, Acme Film for the Baltics, Arthouse Traffic for Ukraine, Front Row Filmed Entertainment for MENA. Penny Black picked up airline rights.

“Islands” is Gerster’s English-language debut, working from a screenplay he co-wrote with Blaz Kutin and Lawrie Doran. The film was developed and produced by Maximilian Leo and Jonas Katzenstein for augenschein Filmproduktion. It is co-produced by Leonine Studios and Schiwago Film. Leonine will also distribute the film in Germany in May 2025.

“Jan-Ole has created an incredibly tense and taut thriller that our international partners agree will captivate audiences worldwide,” said Protagonist Pictures’ acting senior vice president of sales, Sarah Lebutsch. “The quality of this group of top tier distributors is a testament to the global appeal of the film, and the undeniable talent in front of and behind the camera.”

Shot on location in the Canary Islands, the film follows Tom, (Riley) a tennis coach at a luxurious island hotel, filling the time between lessons and one-night stands. The arrival of a mysterious family pulls Tom out of his normal routing as he strikes up a relationship with Anne (Martin), her husband Dave (Farthing) and their son Anton (Dylan Torrell). Tom is unable to shake the feeling that he has met Anne before, and the tension grows between them until one night Dave goes missing and the police suspect Tom and Anne.

“Islands” received four nominations at the prestigious Lola Awards — the German equivalent of the Oscars — including Best Picture, Best Leading Actor, Best Original Music and Best Sound. In his Berlinale review Variety’s Peter Debruge described it as “mesmerizing” and highlighted Martin and Riley’s lead performances.