Knoxville-Starrer 'Night Sessions' Shoots in Serbia Amid Funding Cuts

Knoxville will headline the psychological thriller "Night Sessions," penned by American writer Christopher Beachum. The film, discovered on The Black List, is produced by Pont Pictures and directed by Austrian filmmaker Gregor Schmidinger.

Originally intended for filming in Austria, the production, along with Faisal Hashmi's time-loop thriller "Fractal," has shifted to Serbia. This move was prompted by significant budget cuts to Austria's ÖFI Plus funding initiative, which historically supported Austrian films and co-productions.

Serbia's appeal includes an ideal production environment and a substantial 25% tax rebate on local production expenditures. "Night Sessions" will be filmed entirely in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, despite its Berlin setting, due to a suitable location offering views of brutalist architecture.

Pont Pictures also produces "Tunnel Vision," a supernatural thriller from director Justin P. Lange, and "Amygdala," an elevated horror pic. While "Tunnel Vision" may also face feasibility challenges regarding its preferred Austrian Alps filming location, "Amygdala" is still expected to shoot in Austria.

"Fractal" will star Flemyng as Tom in a story about a toxic relationship leading to murder and a terrifying time loop. The film follows Emily and her ex-convict former boyfriend as they attempt to kill Tom, only to find themselves trapped in a recurring nightmare where he repeatedly returns.