Guelph, Ont.-based genre-film outfit Black Fawn Distribution has acquired the Canadian rights to Jimmy and Stiggs, the first release from Eli Roth’s new company The Horror Section.

The deal was announced at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) following the feature’s U.K. premiere at London’s FrightFest in August.

Black Fawn will kick off the film’s Canadian theatrical release with a premiere in Toronto on Sept. 25, followed by engagements in Vancouver, Ottawa and Hamilton, Ont. Further screening dates will be announced shortly, according to a release.

Written and directed by Joe Begos (VFW, Christmas Bloody Christmas), Jimmy and Stiggs follows a drug- and booze-addled out-of-work filmmaker (Begos) who recruits an estranged friend (Matt Mercer, Contracted) to help him gear up for an imminent alien invasion of Earth that he believes is coming. The cast also includes Riley Dandy (Things Will Be Different) and James Russo (Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1).

Black Fawn’s theatrical release of the film will be accompanied by fake trailers for movies directed by the film’s fictional protagonist, a post-credits making-of featurette, and special messages from the filmmakers for Canadian audiences.

“I’m so thrilled to have Jimmy and Stiggs in the hands of Black Fawn Distribution,” said Eli Roth in a statement. “They completely understand this audience, how to reach them, and how to turn this type of film into an event. The movie is a special one and those who see it will absolutely love it, but it takes some clever marketing to create an event and there’s nobody better to make this film a hit in Canada.”

Roth’s The Horror Section recently confirmed its second release following Jimmy and Stiggs, the Canadian micro-budget horror Dream Eater from Toronto’s Blind Luck Pictures, which it will be releasing in Canada next month in partnership with Vortex Media.

Jimmy and Stiggs is produced by Begos, Josh Ethier, Matt Mercer, Josh Russell and Sierra Russell. The executive producers are Eli Roth, Connor DiGregorio, Mark M. Greene, Nicholas McCarthy, Jon Schnaars, Raj Brinder Singh and Christopher Woodrow.

Image courtesy of Black Fawn Distribution