Alexandre O. Philippe is following up his most recent documentary triumph, Chain Reactions, with a globe-hopping hunt for surviving prints of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. Part documentary, part project to create a new cut of the film, we’ve learned that Patton Oswalt has joined the project as an Executive Producer, and we have all the details:
“Award-winning actor, writer, and comedian Patton Oswalt has signed on as Executive Producer for IN SEARCH OF NOSFERATU, the next feature documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe (78/52, Leap of Faith, Lynch/Oz, Chain Reactions). The project – a global archival treasure hunt for decaying prints of F.W. Murnau’s seminal vampire classic – began principal photography earlier this month.
“Nosferatu isn’t just a film; it’s a cultural entity that has seeped into the collective unconscious, and its surviving prints are like relics,” said Oswalt. “The chance to work with Alexandre, who dissects cinema with the precision of a detective and the passion of a fanatic, is irresistible. I can’t wait to see what horrors and beauties we dig up.”
The film follows Philippe and British archivist Lauren Newport-Quinn on a personal journey across the globe – from Edinburgh to Mexico City, Seoul to Bratislava – to uncover and examine surviving copies of Murnau’s 1922 masterpiece. Rejecting the notion of a single “perfect” version, the project champions the material decay and geographical diversity of the prints as essential to the film’s emotional and historical DNA. Leaning on Newport-Quinn’s rare form of synesthesia, in which she ‘hears’ visual distortions, the project will culminate in a reinvention of Nosferatu itself – recut from the diverse prints discovered during production, with a brand-new score informed by her unique sensory experience. All prints will be scanned and made available to the public via a free, accessible online portal, preserving their individual beauty and decay for future generations.
“Patton is a true cinephile and a vital voice among cinephiles,” said director Alexandre O. Philippe. “His enthusiasm for the macabre and his deep understanding of genre mythology make him the perfect partner for this journey into the heart of cinema’s most enduring vampire story.”
Produced by Terri Piñon of Medianoche Productions (Kim Novak’s Vertigo) out of Marfa, TX, alongside acclaimed horror historian and author Dr. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas (1000 Women in Horror) as Co-Producer, IN SEARCH OF NOSFERATU is structured as a multinational co-production with Hopscotch Films (UK/Scotland), Morbido Group (Mexico), Artactive Production (Slovakia) and Autopilot (France). Heller-Nicholas, a four-time Australian Film Critics Association award winner and two-time Bram Stoker Award finalist, brings her encyclopedic knowledge of cult and horror cinema to the project – ensuring the film’s scholarly rigor while honoring its genre DNA.
The announcement coincides with the opening of the 79th Festival de Cannes, where the production team will be in residence at Fantastic Pavilion – the Marché du Film’s home for genre cinema, curated by Pablo Guisa Koestinger of Mexico’s Morbido Group. Members of the production team will be on the ground for international co-production and distribution conversations, with select press availability for filmmaker Alexandre O. Philippe.
IN SEARCH OF NOSFERATU will feature interviews with an eclectic roster of top filmmakers and artists influenced by the film.”
