Sundance-bound 'Satan's Empire' acquired by Visit Films

Visit Films has acquired worldwide distribution rights to veteran editor Scott Cummings' feature film debut, „Satan's Empire.” The film, a documentary about Satanists, will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. On its website, the festival warns potential viewers: „This film contains graphic sexual content.”

Cummings previously directed the short film „Buffalo Juggalos,” which won the Grand Jury Prize for Live Action Short Film at the AFI Fest. He has worked as an editor on several films that premiered at Sundance, including “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” “Monsters and Men,” “Menashe” and “Wendy.”

„Satan's Realm” is a portrait of Satanists in everyday and extraordinary situations. Visit Films describes the film as „a ritualistic documentary that enchants the audience, drawing them into a world of mystery, mystery and false mysticism”.

Cummings teamed up with members of the Church of Satan to stage moments that captured „the toils and pleasures of modern Satanists”. It follows church leaders Peter Gilmore, Blanche Barton, and Peggy Natramia.

According to Visit Films: „His technique casually presents the occult, flashing, perversely humorous and sometimes deadly serious portraits of a religion often shrouded in secrecy or marred by misunderstanding.”

Sundance says in its online notes: „[Cummings’] A unique approach is to work with bad subcultures to create video portraits that reveal a vision of their unique existence. As Cummings works in lockstep with cinematographer Gerald Kerklets, each shot is its own little treasure trove of explorations of the fantastic, the obvious, the mundane, or all of the above. The 'Empire of Satan' sets itself on an anarchic path in an unreal state, creating an image that nobly combats expressions of identity and all forms of tradition.

It was produced by Caitlin Mae Burke (“Anbessa,” “We Could Be King”) and Pacho Velez (“The Searchers,” “Some Kind of Heaven”). Joe Poletto, Sam Rosmi and Kathy Dankosik executive produced for Austerlight.

Visit Films president Ryan Combe describes the film as „a compelling portrait of real-life Satanists who operate in the shadows and are now ready to step into the spotlight.”

Cummings says Visit Films has been „instrumental in finding the right audience for many of the films I've edited, and I couldn't think of a better partner for this film.”