The Playmaker has grabbed international sales rights to Bloody Tennis, the English-language debut of Greek-German filmmaker Nikias Chryssos (Der Bunker).

“The horror film takes the world of elite sports to disturbing new extremes, filled with brutal ambition, blood-sucking leeches, and hard-hitting serves.

“After being admitted to an elite tennis academy hidden deep in the south of Europe, Sophie (Guldberg Kampp) must contend not only with the fierce brutality of her teammates but with the school’s increasingly sinister undercurrents, where competitive sports are taken to their extreme and only the hungriest survive.”

The cast also includes Helena Zengel (“News of the World,” “The Legend of Ochi”), Lucie Zhang(“Paris, 13th District”), Lily Taieb (“The French Dispatch,” “Bergman Island”), Tracy Gotoas, Elina Löwensohn (“Schindler’s List”), and Zlatko Burić (“Triangle of Sadness”), with an original score from Jim Williams (“Titane,” “Raw,” “Possessor”).

Producer Jonas Katzenstein previews, “Nikias Chryssos’ films are unmistakable in their visual style—intoxicating, absurd, and darkly comic. He consistently confronts audiences with bold, disturbing visions that challenge and reward in equal measure.”

The Playmaker’s Moritz Hemminger adds, ” In Bloody Tennis, Nikias Chryssos once again demonstrates his original style as a director, which is why our international distributors can look forward to a wild, bloody, and highly entertaining horror film.”

Variety first reported on Bloody Tennis.