Unveiling of "Blue Heron": Janus Films Acquires U.S. Rights

Janus Films has secured the U.S. distribution rights to "Blue Heron," a film by Sophy Romvari featuring Eylul Guven and Edik Beddoes. The movie is anticipated to hit the screens in 2026. The plot revolves around Sasha (portrayed by Guven), an eight-year-old from a Hungarian immigrant family that moves to Vancouver Island in the late 90s. As they adapt to their new setting, their eldest son, Jeremy (played by Beddoes), starts exhibiting antisocial and perilous behavior patterns.

The film also features other cast members including Iringó Réti, Ádám Tompa, Amy Zimmer, Liam Serg, and Preston Drabble. As Romvari expressed, having Janus Films, a cinema house responsible for introducing the majority of the world's greatest films to audiences, bring her debut feature to the screen is an extraordinary honor.

The movie made its global debut competing at the Locarno Film Festival in 2025, where it received the Swatch First Feature Award and the Junior Jury Award. Moreover, "Blue Heron" had its debut in North America at the Toronto International Film Festival, clinching the Best Canadian Discovery award.

The film's production was a joint venture between Nine Behind Productions (Canada) and Boddah (Hungary), in collaboration with Memory, Simbelle Productions, Tinygiant, and Ursa Major. The project was funded by Telefilm Canada and the National Film Institute Hungary, and MoreThan Films will oversee international sales.

Producers of "Blue Heron" are Sophy Romvari, Ryan Bobkin, Sara Wylie, and Gábor Osváth, while Riel Roch-Decter, Lauren Melinda, Neil Champagne, Veronica Diaferia, Sara Eolin, Jasmin Karibzhanova, Sam Sutcliffe, and Leah CL served as executive producers. The acquisition deal was negotiated between Janus Films and the movie's creators.