EXCLUSIVE: Canadian producer Kim Yu is expanding her development and production activities at Big Canary Productions, an offshoot of her Toronto-based production services company Blue Moon Communications.

Yu has optioned the original screenplay for psychological horror Elise by Guyanese Canadian screenwriter Amir Bacchus; attached Chris Alexander to direct, and also sealed a deal for Equinoxe Films to release the finished film in Canada.

Alexander, whose credits include arthouse indie genre films Blood for Irina, Queen of Blood, Necropolis: Legion, Space Vampire, Parasite Lady and Drakulon, is also known as a former editor-in-chief of horror fanzine Fangoria.

Currently in development in Canada, Elise blends supernatural and psychological horror with an emotionally driven story about grief, obsession and the inability to let go.

The film follows Marlon Reid, who, while recovering in hospital after near-fatal heart surgery, forms an unexpected connection with fellow survivor Elise Carter, a woman whose life becomes inexplicably intertwined with his own.

When that connection is shattered by loss, Marlon’s grief opens the door to something far more malevolent. Haunted by memory, guilt and an unknown presence, he is forced to confront the terrifying consequences of refusing to let go of the person he loves.

“What drew me to Elise was the way Amir uses the language of horror to explore something painfully universal, the fear of losing someone and the dangerous places that pain can take us,” said Alexander. “There’s a tragic romance beating at the heart of this story, but surrounding it is something increasingly strange, surreal and nightmarish.

The deals were struck during the 2026 Toronto Internation Film Festival’s inaugural TIFF: The Market.

“Shifting more of my focus to Big Canary feels like a natural next chapter for me,” said Yu. “My career has allowed me to work across so many different parts of the filmmaking process, and I’ve always enjoyed working closely with filmmakers and helping build projects from the ground up.

“Elise represents exactly the kind of project I want Big Canary to champion: distinctive, character-driven storytelling with a strong creative point of view and the potential to connect with audiences well beyond Canada.”

Equinoxe Films has acquired the Canadian distribution rights to Elise, targeting a theatrical release in Q4 of next year.

“Elise is a chilling and moving story and I am excited to be a part of this journey, with this team. Equinoxe is looking forward to sharing this dark, elegant film with audiences across the country,” says Michael Mosca, President of Equinoxe Films.

Yu’s career spans publicity and distribution, production and unit management, and line producing and producing across film and television.

Her recent credits include Finch & Midland, the Hong Kong-Canadian collaboration written and directed by Timothy Yeung and starring Anthony Wong, Nina Paw and Patrick Tam. The film premiered at the Vancouver International Film Festival and later opened in the Top 5 at the Hong Kong box office before receiving a Canadian theatrical release in 2026.

Yu’s other work includes unit management on the Netflix limited series I Will Find You; line producing The Swearing Jar and producing a slate of Tubi Originals.

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