Northern Banner Releasing has acquired the Canadian distribution rights to the Jeff Kopas-directed psychological thriller The Bequest.

Based on a script co-written by Kopas and Doug Taylor (Splice), the film is produced by Ryan Reaney and Robert Budreau for Lumanity Productions and Kopas for Vitality Productions. Executive producers on the project are David Anselmo and Marina Cordoni. Northern Banner will release the film theatrically in Canada in early 2017.

The Bequest is the second feature-length from writer/director Kopas, whose first film, An Insignificant Harvey, was picked up for U.S. distribution by Film Movement. Executive produced by Don Carmody, Harvey was released in Canada through Kinosmith in 2011.

Starring Shenae Grimes-Beech (90210) in the lead, The Bequest tells the story of a young woman who returns home to look after her sick father. The feature, which was filmed last October on a private island in Georgian Bay near Britt, ON, also stars Don McKellar, Rosemary Dunsmore (Orphan Black), Natalie Brown (The Strain), Gil Bellows (Shawshank Redemption) and Ken Mitchell (The Astronaut Wives Club).