Kino Lorber has acquired U.S. rights to Maya Annik Bedward’s documentary Black Zombie, produced by Slash, which heads to Fantasia in July.
Kino Lorber has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Maya Annik Bedward’s documentary Black Zombie, following its debut at the 2026 SXSW Film Festival, Deadline reports. The film is also set to screen at next month’s Fantasia International Film Festival.
The documentary traces the origin and evolution of the zombie from Haitian spiritual traditions and colonial history to its transformation into one of horror cinema’s most recognizable monsters. Rather than treating the zombie simply as a flesh-eating ghoul, Black Zombie examines the figure’s deeper cultural meaning as a symbol tied to slavery, stolen agency, survival, and resistance.
The film reconsiders titles including White Zombie, Night of the Living Dead, and The Serpent and the Rainbow, while combining archival footage, vérité scenes, and interviews with cultural historians, artists, and genre figures. Interview subjects include Yves-Grégory François, Mambo Labelle Déesse, Slash, Tom Savini, and Zandashé Brown.
Black Zombie is written and directed by Bedward, who also produces alongside Hannah Donegan and Kate Fraser. Executive producers include Jennifer Holness, Michael Paszt, Andrew Thomas Hunt, James Fler, and Slash.
Kino Lorber will release Black Zombie theatrically this fall, followed by digital and physical releases.
