Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has acquired North American physical and digital distribution rights to the Distant Horizon-produced suspense thriller “Serpent”, Variety said.

Written and directed by first time feature filmmaker Amanda Evans, “Serpent” follows a husband and wife on a romantic escape out in the wild that quickly turns deadly when they are trapped in a tent with a poisonous snake.

Starring Sarah Dumont (“Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse,” “Don Jon”) and Tom Ainsley (TVs “Versailles” and “The Royals”), the film will have its world premiere during the Nightfall portion of the Los Angeles Film Festival on June 17.

Voltage Pictures is handling international distribution of “Serpent” in other territories and will screen the film in the Cannes Market, part of the Cannes Film Festival.

“The L.A. Film Festival [selection] is a testament to the talents of Amanda Evans. We believe in her potential as a director and are currently developing the remake of Yasuo Inoue’s ‘The Neighbor Number 13’ with her at the helm,” said Distant Horizon President Anant Singh, speaking at the Cannes Film Festival. “We are delighted to have concluded a distribution arrangement with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment for North America, continuing our successful relationship that began with ‘Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom.'”

“Serpent” is an Enigma Pictures and Distant Horizon/Videovision Entertainment production in association with South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry. Music is composed by Andy Schar. The film is edited by Mandy Roberts and Andrea Shaw, with Jacques Koudstaal as director of photography. Executive producers are Sudhir Pragjee, Sanjeev Singh, Robert Naidoo, Brian Cox and Dugald MacDonald. It is produced by Singh, Greig Buckle and Evans.