Shudder, AMC Networks’ streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, has acquired all rights to writer/director Issa Lopez’s acclaimed feature Tigers Are Not Afraid across all its territories. The film is set to premiere on Shudder later this year.

“Tigers Are Not Afraid is a horror fable for the ages, as moving as it is frightening thanks to Issa’s fearless imagination,” said Shudder GM Craig Engler. “We are honored and excited to share this powerful film with our members.”

Filmmaker Issa Lopez and her work have been showered with public praise by the likes of Guillermo del Toro, Neil Gaiman, and Stephen King, who tweeted: “this is one terrific film, both tough and touching. Two minutes in, I was under its spell.” Del Toro, who dubbed Lopez “a fantastic new voice in the genre,” is executive producing one of her forthcoming projects, a supernatural western. The in-demand Lopez is also developing a musical about Latino culture in Queens, NY, for Paramount Pictures, and a supernatural revenge thriller for Legendary.

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“I’m incredibly happy to announce that Shudder will distribute Tigers Are Not Afraid for English-language audiences,” Lopez said. “Shudder is an outstanding curator of the best and the weirdest of international fantastic cinema, including many of my favorite new movies from trailblazing filmmakers. The opportunity to have Tigers Are Not Afraid among them is an absolute honor.”

Tigers Are Not Afraid uses horror and fantasy to create a compelling portrait of the dire plight of children orphaned by Mexico’s brutal drug wars. Desperate and alone, 10-year-old Estrella (Paolo Lara) is one of those lost children. Given three magical wishes, Estrella asks first that her missing mother return, which she does…from the dead. Estrella flees to the streets and finds a new surrogate family — a boy named Shine (Juan Ramón López) and a gang of orphans who sleep on rooftops — but she soon discovers that the past and the dead never truly leave us behind.

Tigers Are Not Afraid premiered at Austin’s Fantastic Fest, where it earned “Best Director” honors. It went on to pick up more than 50 awards around the world, including Best Feature at Screamfest, Mórbido, Boston Underground, Chattanooga, and Toronto After Dark. The film also scored ten nominations and two wins at the Ariel Awards, Mexico’s equivalent to the Oscars.

Marco Polo Constandse’s Filmadora Nacional and Issa Lopez’s Peligrosa are the film’s producers. The deal was negotiated by Emily Gotto on behalf of Shudder, and Paradigm on behalf of the filmmakers. Issa Lopez is represented by Paradigm and Hirsch Wallerstein.