Strand Releasing has acquired North American rights to José Luis Montesinos’s Spanish-language thriller “Ropes” which world premiered at the Sitges Film Festival.

Represented in international markets by Reel Suspects, “Ropes” follows Elena, a young quadriplegic who is mourning the recent death of her sister and has moved to a country house with her father. While there, she has the help of Athos, a Belgian pastoral dog specially trained to help her. But the creature turns into her worst enemy after contracting a strange disease.

An up-and-coming director, Montesinos previously directed several shorts, including “El Corredor” which won a Goya (Spain’s highest film honor) and was nominated for a European Film Award.

“Ropes,” produced by Arturo Mendiz at Bastian Films and Carles Pastor, will be presented at the European Film Market during the Berlin Film Festival. Written by Montesinos and Yako Blesa, “Ropes” stars Paula del Río (“Retribution”) and Miguel Ángel Jenner.

Reel Suspects has also recently sold the film to King Records in Japan which plans to release it during the second semester of 2020. In North America, Strand Releasing will give “Ropes” a limited theatrical release, followed by a VOD roll-out.

Matteo Lovadina, Reel Suspects’ founder, said he had high hopes for “Ropes”‘s commercial potential because the film is in the veins of cult horror films such as “Misery” and “Cujo.”

Having sold “The Revenants,””Trauma,” “We are the Flesh” and “Terror 5,” Reel Suspects is becoming a key sales agent for Spanish-language genre movies.

Strand Releasing’s recent acquisitions include a flurry of critically acclaimed foreign-language films, such as Maryam Touzani’s “Adam,” Ina Weisse’s “The Audition” and Christophe Honore’s “On a Magical Night.”